Astros' Yordan Alvarez Suffers Setback in Rehab, Will See Specialist on Hand Injury

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez has hit a setback in his recovery from a broken right hand and will be shut down while he consults a specialist, according to the Associated Press.

Alvarez experienced pain upon arriving Tuesday at the team’s spring training complex in Florida. He had worked out earlier in the day and participated in batting practice on Saturday before the discomfort resurfaced, Astros general manager Dana Brown said, per the AP.

"It's a tough time going through this with Yordan, but I know that he's still feeling pain and the soreness in his hand," Brown said ahead of Tuesday night's series against Colorado. "We're not going to try to push it or force him through anything. We're just going to allow him to heal and get a little bit more answers as to what steps we take next."

Alvarez last appeared in a game on May 2 against the Chicago White Sox and has been out for nearly two months. He was initially diagnosed with a muscle strain, but imaging later in May revealed a small fracture.

The 28-year-old owns a career .387 on-base percentage, .573 slugging percentage and .959 OPS across seven MLB seasons. Astros GM Brown expressed disappointment over the setback, noting it came just as Alvarez appeared close to returning to the lineup.

"We felt like he was close because he had felt so good of late," Brown said, "but this is certainly news that we didn't want."