The Houston Astros are heading into the postseason with uncertainty surrounding their top home-run hitter, Yordan Alvarez, and a Justin Verlander who isn’t in his prime form.
Alvarez has been sidelined since Sept. 22 with a knee injury, which he sustained after sliding into second base during a game against the Los Angeles Angels. Fortunately, X-rays revealed no structural damage, resulting in a diagnosis of a knee sprain. Alvarez has been a key part of the lineup, hitting .308 with 35 home runs this season.
After a positive workout on Sunday, Astros manager Joe Espada expressed optimism, stating, “He checked a ton of boxes today, and tomorrow, he’s going to go out and hit.”
On Monday, the optimism continued, although Espada didn’t provide new information. “He’s about to go and start hitting right now in the cage,” Espada said. “We also want him to go outside and run, so I’ll have more to share post-workout.”
Meanwhile, Chas McCormick, who fractured a bone beneath his index finger after colliding with the wall while chasing a foul ball on Sept. 10, has struggled throughout the season. McCormick has a .211 batting average with five home runs, six doubles, and one triple in 267 plate appearances, with an OPS+ 44 percent below league average.
McCormick was in the middle of a resurgence when he broke his hand on Sept. 10, hitting 9-for-23 with a double and three RBIs over seven games. Throughout the season, the Astros have had to shuffle their outfield due to McCormick’s earlier stint on the injured list with a hamstring injury and his acceptance of a minor league option to refine his swing.
“He’s doing really well,” said manager Joe Espada. “I expect him to be ready for the Wild Card series.”
However, the situation with Verlander is different. Although he’s now healthy after two IL stints, the three-time AL Cy Young Award winner hasn’t looked like his usual self, carrying an 8.89 ERA over 27 1/3 innings heading into Saturday’s game in Cleveland.
Saturday marked Verlander’s first quality start since May 29, as he pitched six innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while striking out five. Whether that performance is enough to secure him a postseason spot remains uncertain.
“As far as the roster, we’re still having conversations,” Espada said. “We’ll have the roster set by tomorrow morning.”
