For the Houston Astros to have the season they're hoping to have, they need to stay healthy. This is a veteran-led team and while injuries, for the most part, haven't been an issue, that can always change with players getting older.
Justin Verlander will begin the year on the injured list, a tough blow to start the season.
Offensively, the Astros are relatively healthy, which wasn't the case last year. Jose Altuve will be ready to go after missing the start of the 2023 season and Yordan Alvarez is the healthiest he's been during camp.
The superstar slugger has played in 114-plus games in each of the last three seasons, but he's dealt with injuries at times throughout those three years. In the past Alvarez was questionable for Opening Day after picking up injuries or going through rehab in Spring Training.
It also didn't allow him to focus on getting the work he needed to get in.
The left-handed power hitter had the following to say about how he feels, according to Alyson Footer of MLB.com:
“Still trying to make a couple of adjustments there at the plate, but I still feel pretty good.”
The 26-year-old had another season that proved he was arguably the best pure hitter in baseball. He slashed .293/.407/.583 with 31 home runs in 114 games. It was the second straight season that Alvarez posted an OPS of .990 or higher.
With Shohei Ohtani in the National League, Alvarez is a legitimate candidate to win the AL MVP award.
Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, and even his teammates in Kyle Tucker and Altuve, won't be easy to beat, but Alvarez has the potential to put up video game-type numbers.
Finally healthy in Spring Training, look for the former Rookie of the Year to have his best season yet.
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