Astros lose MVP hopeful Yordan Alvarez to injured list due to oblique injury
The Houston Astros will be without one of the best hitters in baseball for at least 10 days. The team placed slugger Yordan Alvarez on the injured list on Friday due to right oblique discomfort.
Alvarez, 25, tweaked his oblique during the team's 3-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday. He was removed from the game in the top of the third inning, when he was replaced by Corey Julks. Alvarez will return to Houston for further evaluation, the team announced.
Alvarez put up fantastic numbers prior to the injury. In 57 games, he hit .272/.384/.579, with 17 home runs. He was on pace to once again put himself in the discussion for American League MVP. Alvarez finished third in the voting last season.
The injury comes at a miserable time for the Astros. After a slow start to the season, the Astros went 17-10 in May and seemed poised to challenge the Texas Rangers for the American League West. Houston won its first three games in June, but the team has now lost three straight games following Thursday's defeat. With those losses, the Astros sit five games behind the Rangers for the division lead.
At minimum, Alvarez will miss 10 days due to the issue. Oblique injuries, however, can be finicky, and Alvarez could miss more time depending on the severity of the injury.
While he's out, the Astros will have to find a way to maintain solid offensive production. They ranked in the middle of the pack on offense when Alvarez was healthy. The team will almost certainly drop a few spots following Alvarez's injury. His production at the plate is impossible to replace.
