A development on Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez is troubling news for the Seattle Mariners.
Yordan Alvarez Development on Saturday is Troubling News for Mariners originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners are in a highly competitive race for first place in the AL West with only a 1.5-game difference between the two teams entering Saturday.
The Astros currently sit in first place, but have once again experienced more injuries, with Jeremy Pena set to miss a second straight game, and Josh Hader’s regular season over as he will need at least six total weeks to recover from a left shoulder capsule sprain.
The biggest injury setback the team has faced, however, has been ongoing for the entirety of the season—that being Yordan Alvarez’s absence over the last three months, dealing with a right hand fracture that initially was described as a strain.
Astros Slugger Yordan Alvarez Could Return Soon After Latest Progression
Alvarez began a hitting progression in Florida over the past couple weeks after experiencing a setback due to inflammation, which was treated with an injection.
On Saturday, manager Joe Espada announced he had taken eight at-bats in live batting practice in Florida as scheduled, with his next steps to be determined. Espada also noted that Alvarez will travel back to Houston and rejoin the team, which is an encouraging sign.
Espada: "He came out feeling pretty strong, really good. He's flying back here tomorrow."
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) August 16, 2025
What's next?
"We'll see where we go after we see him tomorrow." https://t.co/Ud8NoxEj9b
Alvarez Returning at Crucial Time as Astros Battle Mariners
Alvarez’s return comes at an unfortunate time for the Mariners, who have done everything they can to push the current roster over the top. At the trade deadline, the team acquired All-Stars Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks to bolster a lineup in need of some juice. The team has benefited from these moves greatly so far, posting a 10–3 record in the month of August.
As incredible as Suarez and Naylor are, though, Alvarez has proven himself to be in a tier of his own. The 28-year-old Cuban slugger has an impressive career accolade list in just his seven-year career.
He won AL Rookie of the Year unanimously in 2019 and went on to capture three consecutive All-Star selections from 2022–2024. Alvarez has posted a career batting average of .295, OPS of .959, along with 167 home runs and 484 RBIs.
Alvarez is also built for the moment and he’s thrived under high-pressure situations, playing a pivotal role in eliminating the Mariners from the playoffs in 2022 in the ALDS—smacking a three-run walk-off blast in Game 1. Houston went on to win a World Series title a few weeks later.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Baseball
