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Opening Day is nearly upon us. In fact, the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers (kind of) got the 2025 season started in the wee-morning hours on Tuesday with the Tokyo Series overseas in Japan.
But for every other team, including the Houston Astros, the season begin next week. Houston has a handful of Grapefruit League games left and are attempting to get everyone healthy ahead of Opening Day.
Lance McCullers Jr., who hasn't pitched due to injury since 2022, will be back on the mound during Tuesday's game against the Washington Nationals. It'll be great to see McCullers back on the field, but one of his teammates will have to miss his triumphant return.
Astros News: Yordan Alvarez scratched with minor injury
The Astros will be without Yordan Alvarez when the team takes the field this afternoon in Florida. Don't worry, Astros fans, it's nothing serious. Alvarez suffered a jammed thumb during batting practice a few days and was scratched from the Astros lineup ahead of their affair with the Nats.
With Kyle Tucker now playing on the North Side of Chicago, the Astros cannot afford to lose their biggest power-bat. Alvarez, however, has not shown much pop this spring with a meager .179/.207/.286 slash line and only one home run.
Astros News: Christian Walker likely to return this week
But while Alvarez is slated to miss a game, Christian Walker is on his way back. According to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart, Walker is expected to return to the Astros lineup over the weekend.
Walker has been on the shelf for the past couple of weeks after suffering an oblique injury. Thankfully, the injury wasn't significant, and with this latest update, it would seem that Walker should be part of the Astros Opening Day roster.
Astros News: Houston trims roster with more cuts
Three players who will not be part of the Astros Opening Day roster were optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday afternoon. Pitcher Nick Hernandez, infielder Shay Whitcomb, and catcher César Salazar were all reassigned to minor-league camp prior to Houston's game against Washington.
TODAY'S ROSTER MOVES:
— Houston Astros (@astros) March 18, 2025
The Astros optioned RHP Nick Hernandez, IF Shay Whitcomb and C César Salazar to minor league camp.
Every day that goes by that Cam Smith's name isn't among those roster cuts is another day that his chances of breaking camp with the big-league club go up. Smith will likely be one of the final names to either be removed from or added to the Astros roster before heading back to Houston.