The Houston Astros missed an opportunity to clinch the American League West on Monday, falling to the Seattle Mariners, 6-1.
Before the game, Astros manager Joe Espada updated Yordan Alvarez's knee injury, saying, "Yordan is not great. That's not what you want right now, but we just got to get ready," per MLB.com.
That news prompted concern about Alvarez's availability for the postseason. But Astros fans can breathe a sigh of relief.
Following an MRI on Monday, there is reason for optimism.
Alvarez has been diagnosed with only a knee sprain, according to The Athletic. He has been ruled out for the rest of the Mariners series but may return for the final three games of the regular season.
"We have to give this some time here and see how he feels the next couple of days. If there's a chance for him to come back in the regular season, it's good news," Espada said.
Alvarez injured his knee Sunday sliding into second base. He was seen clutching at his leg, causing concern within the team. After all, the 27-year-old slugger is a monster in the playoffs.
He is a career .295 hitter in the postseason with a .393 on-base percentage, 12 home runs, and 41 RBIs across 58 games. He has also shown a propensity for performing when it matters the most, famously hitting the go-ahead home run in the 2022 World Series, helping the Astros clinch another title.
If Houston wants any chance at a deep run this year, Alvarez's bat is key.
The Astros' magic number for clinching the division remains at one. They have two more games against the Mariners before hosting the Athletics for three games to close the season.
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