The Houston Astros lost 3-2 against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday and have dropped three games in a row.
They still have a good 36-27 record, but have fallen five games behind the Texas Rangers for the AL West lead.
They were without Jose Altuve for a large chunk of their season.
Now, their best hitter, Yordan Alvarez, got hurt and is likely looking at a stint on the injured list.
“Yordan Alvarez said he felt something in his oblique on a swing in the batting cages before the game. It felt bad on the two swings and misses in his first at-bat, which prompted him to leave the game,” Astros insider Chandler Rome tweeted.
Yordan Alvarez said he felt something in his oblique on a swing in the batting cages before the game. He felt bad on the two swings and misses in his first at-bat, which prompted him to leave the game.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 9, 2023
Oblique injuries are very, very tricky.
They have a rather high re-aggravation rate and when you think they are behind you, they re-appear.
Astros manager Dusty Baker indicated to reporters late Thursday that Alvarez is likely to miss time due to the injury to his right oblique.
There is nothing official yet, as the Astros are going to perform testing and imaging in the area to try to come up with an exact diagnosis.
Still, the most likely scenario has them placing the slugger on the IL sometime within the next couple of days.
Alvarez had been excellent to open the year, with a .272 batting average, 41 runs scored, 17 home runs, 55 RBI, and a .963 OPS.
He is not only the Astros’ best hitter, but one of the best in the American League.
He actually leads the league in RBI.
The Astros will miss him for as long as he is gone.
NEXT:
Astros Slugger Finally Breaks Home Run Drought
