What Latest Devastating Yordan Alvarez Injury Update Could Mean for Astros

The Houston Astros looked like they were on the cusp of getting one of their most important pieces back, but an update late on Wednesday revealed that this is likely not the case.

Over the last couple weeks, the news on Astros star designated hitter Yordan Alvarez was moving in a positive direction after a hand issue has kept him out since the beginning of May.

General manager Dana Brown even told media this week that the star slugger was flying west to be in the lineup for the weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Then very suddenly, news broke on Wednesday that Alvarez suffered a setback while progressing through his hitting program, resulting in him being shut down and set to see a specialist sometime in the following couple of days.

Though there has been no definitive update regarding what this means for Alvarez, clearly he is not as close to being back as the team and fans may have thought.

Speculating can be dangerous, but having already missed two months and now being shut down once again, Alvarez is not trending in a direction that looks like he will be helping the team in 2025.

This should change things for Houston as they approach the next several weeks.

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If Alvarez is not going to be back this season, they lose a massive piece of their offense who has been the straw that stirs the drink in the power department for years.

With over 100 home runs in the last three seasons, Alvarez is one of the most feared power hitters in the game and is not someone they can simply replace.

It's not an understatement to say that this update changes the outlook of the second half and October dramatically.

At the same time, the Astros have created distance in the division, and even without their star, have looked like arguably the best team in the American League over the last couple of months.

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Approaching the trade deadline in about four weeks, they were already expected to be very involved in the market for pitching help, however, it would be wise at this point to snag some sort of insurance plan for Alvarez.

The window is very much open right now, and Houston cannot afford to hold a spot for someone who may or may not return this year.

They don't need to go out and find a new franchise designated hitter, but the Astros should be scouring the market for someone on a one-year rental type of deal who can change the position's outlook.

If they fail to adequately replace Alvarez and do not get him back this season, they will regret it by the time October rolls around.

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