Astros may have a new nemesis after Yordan Alvarez HBP fallout

Sometimes, a tough game has a happy ending, and in select cases, it is the beginning of a rivalry. When the Houston Astros took on the Red Sox on Wednesday, they faced the task of trying to solve Boston ace, Garrett Crochet. That is easier said than done, but thanks to a big home run from Carlos Correa in the fifth inning, the Astros were able to seize the lead and hold on for the win. However, for Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez, that game may be only the beginning.

It is no secret that Alvarez has started the season on a heater. Through the Astros' first seven games, Alvarez posted a .417/.563/.917 line with three homers. To say that he has been a huge reason why Houston has started the season off so well is actually underselling the work Alvarez has been doing.

Crochet obviously knew this and had no interest in letting Alvarez beat him. He repeatedly pitched Alvarez inside during the course of the game, and in that fateful fifth inning, Crochet ended up hitting him in the ribs with a 95+ mph fastball, which set the stage for Correa's heroics. After the game, to say that Alvarez was not happy about the HBP and the possible intent behind it.

Garrett Crochet may have just made an enemy of Yordan Alvarez, and it is awesome

Now, this isn't the run-of-the-mill hot-head that, hypothetically, will throw hands over fantasy football. Alvarez is not a guy who chirps at other players/teams and generally keeps to himself. However, when asked after the game about the HBP and Crochet, given that he very clearly threw his bat in frustration afterwards, Alvarez did not hold back much in his answer.

“A hit by pitch is something that can hurt my career and finish my career. Only he knows if it was intentional or not, but in that situation, I can’t be happy with that.”

Crochet, perhaps wisely, did not address the hit by pitch afterwards in comments to the media. At the end of the day, Houston ended up getting the better end of the exchange and swept Boston. It is also possible that Alvarez is just a bit more sensitive than usual given all the injury nonsense he dealt with last season. Ultimately, he did not end up injured (crosses fingers), and it seems to have fired him up in the process.

Did Crochet hit Alvarez on purpose? Probably not, but whether he did or not isn't really the point here. What matters is that Crochet does not seem to be a popular man in Houston or, at minimum, in the Alvarez household. These sorts of rivalries can be great for the game, especially if these two teams find themselves playing against each other in high-stakes games late in the season or the playoffs. As long as no one gets hurt or suspended, that could be a lot of fun.