Why Chas McCormick is officially the Astros center fielder of the future
ENOUGH SAID
18 July 2023
ENOUGH SAID
Chas McCormick continues to rake, and it's time his career consistency has been recognized.
After all, he was just named AL Player of the Week and has the second-highest slugging percentage on the team behind Yordan Alvarez. One could argue he and Kyle Tucker are the best hitters on the team currently, with Alvarez and Jose Altuve injured.
Chas McCormick: .636 AVG, 3 HR, 2.188 OPS.
CJ Abrams: .462 AVG, 3 XBH, 1.385 OPS.
Your @Chevrolet AL & NL Players of the Week. pic.twitter.com/jozzhOS193
— MLB (@MLB) July 17, 2023
Can we put to bed any talk about trading for a center fielder? And can we stop with Jake Meyers experiment?
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Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has a strained muscle at the top of his right hand, a diagnosis that instills optimism he won’t have a prolonged stay on the injured list.
The three-time All-Star went on the 10-day injured list Monday, retroactive to Saturday, and returned to Houston for an MRI that revealed the muscle strain.
“We look at it as good news,” Astros manager Joe Espada said before their Wednesday afternoon game with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Espada expressed hope that Alvarez wouldn’t have to stay on the injured list longer than the required 10 days. He also said the hand issue may have played a role in Alvarez’s slow start.
Alvarez, 27, is hitting .210 with a .306 on-base percentage, three homers and 18 RBIs in 29 games this season. He batted .308 with a .392 on-base percentage, 35 homers and 86 RBIs in 147 games last year while ranking ninth in the AL Most Valuable Player balloting.
He has posted an OPS of at least .959 and has finished 13th or higher in the MVP voting each of the last three seasons.
“Once he heals, once he gets back, I think we’ll see a more aggressive at bat and be not as cautious,” Espada said. “I think it had something to do with it, yes.”
His potential return could go a long way toward boosting an Astros lineup that hasn’t been as productive as usual this season. The Astros entered Wednesday’s action ranked 21st in the majors in runs (136) and 23rd in OPS (.676). Houston has ranked 11th or better in both those categories each of the last four seasons.