Latest Yordan Álvarez injury update could rob Astros of playoff weapon

Despite being overwhelming favorites to make it back to the postseason once again, Houston Astros fans are pretty nervous right now. Some of that is due to a pretty lopsided loss to division rival Seattle on Monday, as well as the usual anxiety that comes this time of year where every game matters so much, but the bigger reason is because of the injury status of Yordan Álvarez.

Álvarez was forced to leave Sunday's game early after he apparently hurt his knee on a slide at second base. The injury was initially called a knee contusion, but comments from the Astros after the fact suggested that the team was concerned about at least his short-term availability.

After getting an MRI on Monday, it was revealed that no only will Álvarez miss the Mariners series altogether, but his now diagnosed knee sprain could significantly alter Houston's lineup plans in the playoffs as well.

Yordan Álvarez's knee injury likely to cause Astros lineup headaches in the 2024 playoffs

Having Álvarez miss time in the short-term isn't all that surprising. Houston was likely to play it as safe as they could with him, regardless of the results of his exams this week. The Astros are a strictly superior team with Álvarez in their lineup, but having the slugger healthier in October just matters more, especially with how likely it is that Houston will close the deal this week and how locked in their seed is, barring some truly weird stuff happening.

Where things get scary, though, is the nugget The Athletic's Chandler Rome dropped in his update on Álvarez's injury. Even if Álvarez can return in the postseason (which is not a sure thing right now, as he needs more tests), the Astros wouldn't play him in the outfield at all in the playoffs. That would lock him in as a DH at best, which would potentially cost Yainer Diaz and/or Victor Caratini plate appearances, once all the lineup dominoes fall from that decision.

One easy way to remedy this would be to just not start Jon Singleton at first base anymore. While Singleton has shown flashes here and there, both Diaz and Caratini have been strictly better than Singleton at the plate this season, and are probably preferable in the field as well. Such a change also probably removes any possibility that the Astros take playing time away from Jake Meyers and his uninspiring 87 wRC+ now that they're down an outfielder.

Again, the Astros have avoided the worst case scenario with Álvarez so far, as it sounds like his return this season remains possible. However, his injury couldn't have come at a worse time for Houston, and now they will have to figure out how to make things work, whether he can play at all or not.

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