While the Yankees and Dodgers are welcoming some of their injured big hitters back onto the roster, the Houston Astros are traveling in the opposite direction. Some of the top names for the Astros are currently sitting beyond the foul line. Luis Garcia, Lance McCullers Jr., Isaac Paredes, and Zach Dezenzo are all warming up the injury list. And guess what, the list is still getting expanded!

This time, the Astros are set to miss another slugger from the lineup: Yordan Alvarez. Alvarez is hitting at .273, and could just be the right person alongside Jose Altuve for the Astros in the postseason. Reportedly, Alvarez is going to be sidelined for a while after he sprained his left ankle badly when he stepped on home plate in Monday’s 6-3 win over the Rangers. Skipper Joe Espada did not sugar-coat the situation, calling it a “significant” injury. But could he return by the postseason?

“The Houston Astros expect slugger Yordan Alvarez to miss the rest of the regular season with his severe left ankle sprain, but are hopeful that he can return for the postseason. Alvarez is just the latest star on a contender to suffer a key injury this month,” MLB insider Bob Nightengale shared.

Well, the unfortunate incident happened during Monday night’s game against the Rangers. Notably, he was charging home from third and decided not to slide. But when he stepped on the plate with his left foot, he seemed to roll his ankle. As a result, Alvarez could hardly walk afterward and had to leave the game. Yordan had just returned to the fold on Aug.26 after missing nearly four months with a hand fracture.

According to The Athletic, Joe Espada said on Tuesday, “Let’s not get into days or weeks or anything like that.” It’s entirely uncertain when the Cuban will be back. And for now, the Astros got Altuve to take the lead in October. Hitting .262, Altuve is now the lone warrior for the Astros to lead the pack, as the IL keeps getting longer.

The Astros have suffered some untimely injuries this season

While the Astros kept Yordan Alvarez on a day-to-day check, a few other stars have suffered long-term injuries. For instance, Luis Garcia just returned to the team in the first week of September after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023. However, it only took him a few days to experience elbow discomfort again, and he was subsequently placed on the 15-day injured list.

And then there’s Isaac Paredes, probably the biggest name in the Astros clubhouse to hit the IL. According to Bob Nightengale, the Astros are bracing to be without Paredes for the next six to seven months after his torn hamstring. And the team is hoping he’ll be good to go by Opening Day next season! So, he will definitely miss the postseason this year.

Now, apart from these names, just add Josh Hader, Spencer Arrighetti, and Lance McCullers Jr., and you will know why Alvarez’s injury is significant for the Astros. Reportedly, since returning on August 26, Alvarez has been on fire. In the 19 games he’s played, he’s hitting .369 with a 1.031 OPS. Now, with Alvarez sidelined, the Astros are betting their hopes all on Altuve.