Breaking Down Hopeful Return of Yordan Alvarez to Astros Lineup

After a much-needed series win against the Miami Marlins, the Houston Astros are heading into a massive series against the New York Yankees over the weekend.

Injuries have piled up for the Astros of late, and the team has seen its once-nice lead in the American League West shrink. Both the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners are gaining ground, and each of those teams improved quite a bit at the trade deadline.

More News: Spencer Arrighetti Activated from Injured List, to Start Against Marlins

Now, with a massive series looming against the Yankees, Houston is going to need to be at their best against a team fighting for their spot in the AL. Furthermore, they then have to face another tough opponent in the Boston Red Sox.

While the Astros have been able to hold on to their lead in the AL West, the offense has been a major concern. Houston addressed the need with a few notable acquisitions at the trade deadline, led by Carlos Correa. However, the unit is still without Isaac Paredes, who could miss the rest of the season.

The loss of Paredes was a crushing blow for the team, but they have to be hopeful that another star might return soon to give the lineup a massive boost.

More News: Astros’ Cristian Javier Completes Latest Injury Rehab Start with Sugar Land

Alden Gonzalez of ESPN recently wrote about the potential boost that slugger Yordan Alvarez could have for the Astros when he returns.

“When healthy, Álvarez is on par with Judge and Shohei Ohtani among the game's most imposing hitters.”

The potential return of Alvarez is a very tricky thing to figure out, and Houston is likely a bit frustrated with it as well. The star slugger has been out since May, and the hand injury was seemingly worse than what was originally diagnosed.

Will Alvarez Save the Lineup?

Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez — May 9, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) prior to the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Daikin Park. | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

However, the good news is that he seems to be ramping up in his rehab of late, which could be a sign that a rehab assignment could be forthcoming.

A return of Alvarez would fix a lot of problems for the Astros, as he performed up to his abilities. When healthy, he has been one of the best sluggers in the league and can carry this offense.

More News: Astros Announce Fate of Zack Short After Being Designated for Assignment

Houston has survived without him until now, but if they are going to achieve postseason success, it feels like they will need Alvarez to be the star hitter that he is capable of being.

While there is a ton of uncertainty around when a potential return for Alvarez could be, there is arguably no player on the injured list currently who could have more of an impact than him.

For more Astros news, head over to Astros On SI.