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The Houston Astros have been the powerhouse in the American League West since the 2015 season. That was the first year that the Astros made the American League playoffs, and they have been in the postseason in each of the last eight seasons. The idea that the Astros would win the American League West this year after losing third baseman Alex Bregman to the Boston Red Sox and Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs seemed like a major stretch. That idea seemed even more questionable when slugging first baseman Yordan Alvarez was placed on the Injured List.
Alvarez has been out since May 2 with a strained muscle in his right hand. This may not seem like a serious injury and Alvarez is making progress according to manager Joe Espada, but the injury could impact the slugger if it is not completely healed by the time he is back in the lineup.
The right hand is the lead hand for the left-handed slugger, and any kind of pain or discomfort may keep Alvarez from showing off his signature power and consistency at the plate.
Alvarez has had limited production to this point in the year. He is hitting .210 with just 3 home runs in 29 games.
Despite key changes, Astros remain in contention
In addition to losing Bregman and Tucker, the Astros are trying to make over their lineup with productive bats in place of their former superstars.
The Astros also moved long-time second baseman Jose Altuve to a new position in left field. This would seem to be a major adjustment that could derail the team, the but the Astros have built a 22-20 record and they are just 1.0 game behind the Seattle Mariners in the AL West.
Fans are used to seeing big-name superstars in the Houston lineup show off their game-changing power. However, now it's players like Isaac Paredes and Jeremy Pena who are getting the job done for Espada. Paredes is slashing .267/.385/.440 with 6 home runs and 19 runs batted in. Pena is also delivering for the Astros with a .315 average along with 6 long balls and a team-best 23 RBI.
Altuve has not yet hit his stride, but he has shown enough that there is every reason to believe that he will come along quite shortly. He is slashing .256/.302/.369 with 4 home runs and 14 RBI. Altuve is no longer a stolen base threat at this point in his career, but his power numbers seem likely to return as the 35-year-old gets more used to his position.
