Yordan Alvarez is feeling much better. Composite Getty Image.
Houston manager Joe Espada said Thursday injured slugger Yordan Alvarez is getting “really close” to returning to the lineup after sitting out with a hand injury for almost a month.
Alvarez, who has been out since May 3 with right hand inflammation, hit off a pitching machine Thursday before the Astros opened a four-games series with the Tampa Bay Rays.
“He’s getting really close,” Espada said. “This is the best I’ve seen him and this is the best he’s felt. So, really good news.”
Alvarez is scheduled to hit about 50 pitches off minor leaguers Friday as he moves closer to his return. Espada said they’re doing this so he can get game ready without going on a minor league rehabilitation assignment.
“That will be his way to kind of check that box and get ready for games,” Espada said.
The biggest obstacle to getting Alvarez back on the field has been to keep the inflammation away as he’s ramped up his activity.
“I felt good,” Alvarez said in Spanish through a translator after hitting Thursday. “Now I just have to wait to see how the hand reacts to the hitting. So hopefully I can return soon.”
Alvarez said it’s been difficult to be out for so long for an issue that at first was supposed to only keep him out a few days.
“Obviously… it’s been a little bit frustrating being on the IL because of my hand,” he said. “This is not a secret how difficult it is for a hitter to be dealing with hand pain. I’ve played hurt before, but obviously now with inflammation it’s a little bit different.”
He said his time on the injured list has lasted longer than expected because they’re trying to get him completely well so this isn’t something he’s dealing with for the rest of the season.
“This is something delicate,” he said. “I could have returned before but as soon as we saw the hand and how it reacted because of the inflammation, that’s why it’s been a little bit more time than I anticipated.”
José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
Key moment
The home run by Peraza.
Key stat
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
Up next
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
