Astros Boss Shares Encouraging Update on Yordan Alvarez's Status

Thursday afternoon brought a welcome sight for Houston Astros fans' sore eyes.

Star designated hitter Yordan Alvarez was seen taking batting practice, a key step in his return from the injured list.

Alvarez, Houston's 27-year-old slugger from Cuba, has been sidelined since May 2 with a hand injury.

Prior to his stint on the injured list, Alvarez was performing at levels far below his career norms, as he produced a .210/.306/.340 slash line in 29 contests.

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The Astros offense was mired in a slump as a whole while Alvarez was healthy, but that is no longer the case.

Since the calendar turned to May, Houston owns the second best team wRC+ in all of MLB at 123, trailing only the Los Angeles Dodgers.

They lead the league in batting average and are second in on base percentage in that timeframe, but they still have some room for improvement in the power department, as they're just ninth in home runs for the month.

Now, Alvarez could be injected back into that mix in the near future, providing that influx of power the lineup could still benefit from.

Speaking with reporters ahead of Thursday night's game against the Tampa Bay Rays, manager Joe Espada shared some great news on Alvarez's status.

Espada told the media, including Chandler Rome of The Athletic, that the lefty will take live at-bats against minor league pitchers at Daikin Park on Friday.

"Once he’s ready, we’re not going to need a rehab assignment," Espada said. "That will be his way to check that box and be ready for games."

The ability to give it a test run and save the time of a rehab stint should significantly cut down on how much longer Alvarez spends on the injured list.

Previously, Espada has been hesitant to provide firm timelines for Alvarez's return, and he still did not put a specific date on the record, but the update Thursday was a clear step forward in optimism and certainty regardless.