Photo: thatlostdog / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Arguably the most important piece in the Astros’ postseason hopes, Yordan Alvarez arrived at spring training with the best possible update: he’s pain-free.
The three-time All-Star slugger reported to camp in West Palm Beach looking healthy and ready after injuries limited him to just 48 games in 2025 — the fewest of his career.
A Season Derailed by Injuries
Alvarez’s 2025 campaign quickly turned into a nightmare.
He missed 100 games while recovering from a fractured bone in his right hand, an injury he initially tried to play through in late April after dealing with similar issues in the past. The fracture came with multiple setbacks and made it difficult for him to even grip a bat.
When he finally returned on August 26, he immediately reminded everyone why he’s one of the most feared hitters in baseball. Over 19 games, Alvarez slashed .369/.462/.569 with three home runs and nine RBIs. He delivered back-to-back four-hit games against the Yankees in September and looked poised to carry Houston toward a playoff berth.
Then came another cruel break.
On September 15 against the Rangers, Alvarez suffered a severe left ankle sprain while stepping on home plate to score a run. The freak injury ended his season — and ultimately Houston’s playoff hopes. The Astros finished one game short of the postseason for the first time since 2016.
Confidence From the Front Office
Astros general manager Dana Brown has expressed full confidence in Alvarez’s readiness for 2026.
“He’s been doing a lot of workouts, he’s been swinging the bat a lot — zero concerns at all,” Brown said. “He’s on pace to be ready for Spring Training and that’s an exciting part about why we’re so giddy about this season, because we get Yordan for the full season.”
Brown noted that Alvarez dealt with some ankle inflammation early in the offseason but progressed steadily through his recovery. By mid-December, the 28-year-old had resumed jogging at about 70 percent intensity and has now entered camp at full strength.
A Full-Time DH Plan
Manager Joe Espada has made it clear that protecting Alvarez’s health is a top priority in 2026. That likely means a more permanent role at designated hitter.
“I think that’s going to be one of our goals, is how do we keep Yordan Alvarez healthy?” Espada said in December. “Obviously the DH, it’s something that I’m going to focus on and really try to get him to spend most of his season there.”
Alvarez started 32 games at DH and just 15 in left field during his injury-shortened 2025 season. The expectation now is to limit his time in the outfield to reduce wear and tear.
“Health, for me, is my main focus,” Espada added. “I think going into Spring Training, you guys will see a different setup. And we’re going to do some things differently where we help our guys be more efficient, be more specific. Get there, get your work in and try to get them off their feet so they can rest and recover.”
That shift could create a roster ripple effect. Houston currently has multiple everyday bats competing for lineup flexibility, and keeping Alvarez mostly at DH may force the club to get creative with defensive alignments — or consider roster moves.
A Bounce-Back Candidate
Even in a shortened season, Alvarez remained productive when he was able to play. He finished 2025 hitting .273/.367/.430 with six home runs and 27 RBIs across 199 plate appearances.
Those numbers were well below his usual standards, but they came without the chance to build rhythm. The injury-plagued year also ended his streak of four straight 30-homer seasons. In 2022, he finished third in AL MVP voting and helped power the Astros to a World Series title.
Critical to Houston’s Success
Brown called last season’s injury wave “an aberration” and emphasized that health will determine how far the Astros can go in 2026.
“A big part of our success, of course, is going to be being healthy,” the GM said. “We had a lot of guys hurt last year. The IL wasn’t our friend, and ultimately we came up a game short.”
Houston’s outlook this season depends heavily on Alvarez staying on the field. When healthy, he changes how opposing pitchers approach the entire lineup and can alter the outcome of a game with one swing.
For an Astros core trying to make another championship run, having their most dangerous hitter back at full strength could make all the difference.
Alvarez remains under contract through 2028 as part of the six-year, $115 million extension he signed in 2022. If he stays healthy, 2026 could mark the start of a major return to form — for both Alvarez and the Astros.