Yordan Alvarez Out 'A While' with Injury amid Astros Playoff Push, Joe Espada Says

Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez is expected to miss an extended period of time after suffering a sprained left ankle, according to Astros manager Joe Espada.

"This is going to keep him out for a while," Espada said Tuesday, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "Let's not get into days, weeks, any of that. We are going to take one day at a time, but this is going to take some time to heal."

Alvarez suffered the injury while crossing home plate in the bottom of the first inning during Houston's 6-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Monday.

The Astros currently sit at No. 2 in the American League West standings with a 82-69 record.

They're just 0.5 games behind the Seattle Mariners for the division lead. Houston also holds a three-game edge for the final AL Wild Card spot.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that the Astros expect Alvarez to miss the rest of the regular season, but are "hopeful" that he can return for the postseason.

Espada was noncommittal when asked about a potential stint on the injured list for Alvarez, though.

"One day at a time," Espada said, via ESPN. "I'm not going to give you days, weeks, what we're going to do next. You're just going to have to sit down and wait."

Alvarez has been hampered by injuries throughout his 2025 campaign, previously missing over three months due to a fractured right hand. The 28-year-old has only played in 48 of a possible 151 games this season.

He's hitting .273 with six home runs and eight doubles to go along with 27 RBI, posting a career-low .797 OPS.

Alvarez's continued lack of availability is a tough blow to Houston's lineup, as he surpassed 30 homers and 85 RBI in each of the prior four seasons.

The Astros will hope that he can return in time for a possible playoff series, as he owns a .294/.393/.551 slash line throughout his postseason career and won ALCS MVP honors in 2022.