The Houston Astros just cannot seem to catch a break from these injuries. Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez is dealing with back spasms.
Yesterday, Alvarez left mid-game in the sixth inning after experiencing back spasms while lifting weights before the game. He appeared uncomfortable after fouling off a pitch and was pulled from the at-bat. While he will miss today's series finale, manager Joe Espada had already planned to give him the day off regardless, as Sunday would have been his first rest day of the entire season.
Alvarez was already set to get the day off, but the back spasms add a layer of concern going forward. The good news is the Astros are on a hot streak. They broke a 13-year losing streak at Wrigley Field and won two in a row.
With the offense showing life the past two games and a strong pitching performance expected from Peter Lambert, the Astros still have a chance for a full sweep.
Lambert has been one of the more intriguing arms in the Astros rotation this season. He was brought in as a non-roster invitee to stabilize a rotation that has been battered by injuries and inconsistency and at his best, he has done exactly that.
Sitting at 2-4 with a 3.57 ERA through six starts, he has had his ups and downs this season, but when he is on he is one of the more reliable arms in the rotation. If he can replicate or even come close to his performance against the Cleveland Guardians, the Astros have a real shot at a full sweep.
