Yordan Alvarez's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said he would like to "cut back" on outfielder Yordan Alvarez's playing time in left field next year. Espada also praised Zach Dezenzo's development in left field during winter ball in Puerto Rico, so perhaps Dezenzo will be awarded some playing time at the position next year when the Astros elect to use Alvarez as the designated hitter. The 27-year-old Alvarez played 53 games in left field in 2024 and served as the DH 94 times in 147 regular-season games for the 'Stros. A right-knee sprain kept Alvarez sidelined towards the end of September. Position aside, Alvarez is an everyday hitter with elite batted-ball metrics and a low strikeout rate, which is a testament to just how good of an all-around hitter he is. He played in a career-high 147 games last year and cleared the 30-homer mark for the fourth straight year. Injuries are always an issue, but few boast the kind of dominant hitting consistency that Alvarez has shown in recent seasons.

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (knee) is serving as the DH and is batting second for Game 1 of the wild-card series on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers and left-hander Tarik Skubal at Minute Maid Park. Alvarez sprained his right knee while sliding over a week ago and was forced to sit out the final week of the regular season as a result. The 27-year-old lefty slugger did some hitting and running on Monday and was cleared to be part of the postseason roster. When healthy, Alvarez is one of the best all-around hitters in baseball, but it's unclear how healthy he actually is, and he'll be facing Skubal, who won the American League pitching Triple Crown in 2024. Alvarez was an All-Star this year for the third straight season and hit a cool .308/.392/.567 with 35 homers, 86 RBI and six steals in 147 games played.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (knee) will reportedly hit on Monday, according to manager Joe Espada. The superstar slugger has been sidelined since September 22 due to a lingering knee issue. It sounds like Alvarez has been making solid progress and should be ready for the Wild Card series against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday. The expectation is that Alvarez is going to DH during that series. The Astros will take that as they'd be in serious trouble if their superstar slugger was unable to hit in the postseason.