Houston Astros Slugger Álvarez Has Been Brightest Spot For Team in 2023

Yordan Álvarez missed the previous four games with a sore neck before returning to the Houston Astros lineup on Saturday.

Álvarez produced two hits, but the Astros scuffled in a 6-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Even though the Astros have dropped two straight to the Phillies with the finale coming Sunday night, just having Álvarez back and hitting well is a major confidence boost.

Even for an ultra-talented team such as the Astros.

“There’s not a whole bunch more to say, other than, ‘This guy’s a great hitter,’” Astros manager Dusty Baker said of Álvarez. “The guy missed four games and he comes back and the first swing is a base hit. The situation is, you wish you could send him up there every inning, but you can’t. You just hope Yordan keeps doing what he’s doing and everybody else starts doing better.”

Álvarez has reached base safely in each of the 21 games he’s played to open the season, which is the longest active streak in the American League and is tied for the third-longest streak in Major League Baseball this season.

In the first two games against the Phillies this series, the Astros have nine hits and two runs.

Baker inserted Alvarez in the No. 3 spot in the lineup and slid Jose Abreu down to the sixth position. Abreu is hitting just .243 and has yet to homer this season.

For the Astros, hopefully Alvarez can influence the entire batting order.

This much is known: Álvarez will hit no matter where Baker puts him in the lineup.

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