The Houston Astros are 1.5 games ahead of the Seattle Mariners for first place in the American League West. They made big improvements at the trade deadline, namely bringing Carlos Correa back, and are putting together another championship-caliber core. On Tuesday, they are welcoming back a big name to the lineup to help the stretch run. Astros designated hitter and outfielder Yordan Alvarez is returning on Tuesday.
Yordan Alvarez returns to the Astros' lineup for the first time since May 2nd!
He is playing left field and hitting cleanup. pic.twitter.com/VxzYTSTgKj
— MLB (@MLB) August 26, 2025
Alvarez suffered a fractured right hand in early May, knocking him out after just 29 games. Those games were not great for the slugger, with a .210 batting average and a .646 OPS. They need him to be back to his incredible home run pace to ensure another division title.
Alvarez came into the 2025 campaign with four consecutive 30-homer seasons. With just three at the time of his injury and only 31 games remaining, he likely won't reach that plateau in 2025. That won't be the way his success is measured this year, as they need his bat to lift them to a division title.
The Astros have missed a lot of their key players at times this year due to injury. Jeremy Peña's bounce-back season took a 28-game detour in July, Issac Paredes is out for the season, and multiple pitchers have sustained season-ending injuries. Alvarez has been vital to their success in recent years, and getting him back is a huge boost.
The Astros start a nine-game home stand on Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies. After that, the Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees come to Daikin Park in Houston. If Alvarez soars coming off the injured list, they will be able to create the playoff atmosphere in Houston early and can tear off some wins. But if his form from the spring comes back, they could be in a long division race with the Mariners.
