Astros Injury Report Heading Into Series Finale vs Rays Down 2-0 in the Series

The Houston Astros are coming off a close loss on Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Rays by a final score of 3-2, which now has the Astros down 2-0 in the series.

Overall, the Astros are in a good spot with an overall record of 75-74 and could very well clinch the AL West as they now have a two-game lead over the Texas Rangers for the top spot, which is a solid place to be, especially with the playoffs starting up very soon.

With the playoffs starting soon, it will be critical for Houston to stay healthy as well as get the players who are currently dealing with injuries back into the lineup. So, let's take a look at the Astros' injury report heading into the series finale against the Rays.

First up is designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, who has now been out of the lineup for two consecutive games after twisting his right ankle stepping awkwardly on third base on September 10th.

With this injury, this is the first time Alvarez has been out of the lineup since June 27th, but the good news is that he is day-to-day and could be back soon. With the playoffs coming up, the Astros need Alvarez and his ability to make an impact from the plate.

The second player on this injury report is shortstop Carlos Correa who is still recovering from the surgery he had done to repair the torn peroneus brevis tendon in his left ankle. Correa was injured on May 5th and then got surgery on May 11th, so as a result of the injury he was placed on the IL on May 6th and then was moved to the 60-day IL on June 2nd.

Correa does still have an opportunity to return at some point in 2026, as he is trending in the right direction. As far as Correa's progression goes, he took live reps in batting practice on September 12th at the team's spring training facility in West Palm Beach Florida and he has been hitting on the field, running the bases, and fielding grounders. With that news, it seems Correa could very likely be back for the postseason.

Next up is outfielder and infielder Brice Matthews who is still batting through a left knee sprain that he suffered on July 12th. As a result of the injury, he was placed on the IL on July 17th and then was transfered to the 60-day IL on August 19th. 

In terms of Matthews' status it is still to be determined, so it will be interesting to see how he progresses. The latest news on Matthews is that he played nine innings for Triple-A Sugar Land on September 10th and went 0-3 with a walk and a strikeout. Matthews is also expected to play second base for Sugar Land on September 12th, so it will be interesting to see how he looks in that game as well.

The fourth player on the list is right-handed pitcher Mike Burrows, who is still working through right elbow neuritis as well as right shoulder inflammation. Due to the injury, Burrows was placed on the 15-day IL on July 13th, which is retroactive to July 7th. 

Burrows' status is also to be determined, but he will throw a bullpen on September 13th at the team's spring training facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, so that will be worth monitoring to see if that gives a better idea of his timetable.

The second pitcher on the injury report is left-handed pitcher Steven Okert who is dealing with a right hamstring strain. Based on the injury, Okert was placed on the 15-day IL on September 4th, which is retroactive to September 1st.

As far as Okert's timetable goes, he is expected to back on September 15th and to make that happen he is throwing at the spring training facility in West Palm Beach Florida and will progress through the throwing program. If Okert is ready on September 15th, he could provide some great depth for the Astros at the mound.

The last player and third pitcher on this injury report is left-handed pitcher Brandon Walter who is still recovering from the Tommy John surgery he had done on September 23rd 2025 to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow that took him out of the lineup in July of 2025.

With this injury and Tommy John surgery, Walter was placed on the 60-day IL on March 25th and will miss the entirety of this season. However if Walter can continue to progress, he could end up being a key contributor in 2027.

So, heading into the final stretch of the regular season, if the Astros can get Alvarez, Correa, Matthews, Burrows, and Okert back for the postseason, this team should be in a good spot to try to make a run at an AL title, and if Walter is ready to go in 2027, Houston's pitching staff could see significant improvement and possibly perform much better than they did this season.