Yordan Alvarez, the Astros' best hitter, leaves the game due to injury while a key series is approaching

HOUSTON — Houston Astros star Yordan Alvarez left Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Angels after an awkward slide into second base during a second-inning double. His departure comes a day before the Astros host the Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Park for a three-game series that could decide the American League West.

After Houston's 9-8 loss, manager Joe Espada said Alvarez would undergo imaging of his right knee, which required surgery during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Yordan Alvarez left today's game with a “contusion to the right knee,” the Astros said

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) 22 September 2024

Other than saying that Alvarez was “pretty sore,” Espada gave no further information on his condition. Alvarez was not seen in the locker room after the game.

“I didn't want to see that,” Espada said. “When I went out, he was pretty sore.”

Espada said most of Alvarez's weight was on his right knee as he slid into second base. After the injury, Espada and assistant coach Eric Velazquez had a long discussion with Alvarez, who walked cautiously around the infield, trying to test his lower body.

Alvarez's double boosted his batting average to a team-leading .308. His OPS of .959 is just behind Kyle Tucker, who leads the team, but Tucker had 300 fewer at-bats due to a broken tibia that sidelined him for three months.

Seattle's loss to Texas reduced the magic number to two for the Astros, who are now seeking their fourth consecutive division title. A win in the upcoming three-game series against the Mariners will seal that. Whether Alvarez can help with that is a fair question.

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(Photo: Tim Warner/Getty Images)