Yordan Alvarez left in the present day’s 9-8 Astros loss to the Angels as a result of a proper knee contusion, and supervisor Joe Espada mentioned after the sport (to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome and different reporters) that the slugger is “fairly sore” and can endure testing. Whereas sliding into second base throughout a third-inning double, Alvarez banged his knee on the bottom and had to get replaced by pinch-runner Mauricio Dubon.
Knee issues have bothered Alvarez for a lot of his profession, and he had arthroscopic surgical procedures on each of his knees again in 2020. The Astros have primarily used Alvarez as a DH in a nod to those knee points, and whereas there isn’t but any indication that in the present day’s harm is something greater than a bruise, it actually isn’t signal to see one in all Houston’s high hitters all of the sudden dealing with a well being concern only a week away from the playoffs. Alvarez is having fun with one other super season, with a 35 homers and a .305/.309/.564 slash line in a career-high 636 plate appearances coming into in the present day’s motion.
Extra from across the AL West…
Gregory Santos may very well be activated off the Mariners’ 15-day injured checklist inside the subsequent couple of days, the Seattle Instances’ Adam Jude reviews (through X). Between a season-opening lat pressure after which a bout of biceps irritation that has saved him sidelined since July 31, Santos has appeared in solely six video games for Seattle this yr, delivering a 6.75 ERA in 5 1/3 innings of labor. Santos has additionally tossed 5 1/3 innings throughout his six Triple-A rehab outings, with a 1.69 ERA but in addition with extra walks (seven) than strikeouts (six). Acquired from the White Sox in a notable February commerce, Santos hasn’t achieved a lot in his first season with the Mariners, however there’s an opportunity for some late heroics if he can return in time to assist the M’s sneak right into a playoff berth.
Talking of injury-plagued seasons, Max Scherzer’s 2024 marketing campaign formally ended when a hamstring pressure despatched him to the Rangers’ 15-day injured checklist yesterday. Restricted to a career-low 43 1/3 innings in 2024, Scherzer has already said that he needs to return for an 18th massive league season, and he instructed MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry (X hyperlink) and different reporters in the present day that he’s open to returning to Texas. Jacob deGrom, Jon Grey, Tyler Mahle, Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker, Dane Dunning, and Cody Bradford are all lined up as rotation locks or candidates for the Rangers subsequent season, so on paper, there may not be room for a reunion with Scherzer even on a one-year deal. That mentioned, there’s additionally sufficient uncertainty inside that projected depth chart that Texas would possibly need nonetheless hunt down extra arms, and a pitcher with Scherzer’s monitor file nonetheless has loads of upside even at age 40.
Ben Gamel was positioned on the 10-day injured checklist earlier this week as a result of a fractured fibula, and in his weekly look on the Astros’ pregame radio present, GM Dana Brown confirmed that Gamel will “most probably” not be accessible for the postseason. Between Gamel’s harm, Chas McCormick’s fractured, and the brand new uncertainty about Alvarez’s standing, Houston’s outfield is all of the sudden dealing with depth points because the playoffs strategy.
