Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has suffered a setback in his injury recovery due to a more severe fracture than initially thought. A small fracture in his fourth metacarpal was previously believed to be a muscle strain but has been found to be about 60% healed.
General manager Dana Brown expressed concerns that the initial imaging on May 6 may not have accurately reflected the extent of the injury due to excessive inflammation and fluid. Alvarez had been out since May 3, with hopes of returning this weekend.
Brown stated that Alvarez’s immediate plan is to rest his hand, limiting activities such as batting off tees, while he continues to participate in other baseball-related exercises like running and catching. However, he will be able to return to outfield duties.
The Astros are hopeful that the fracture healing process will not significantly prolong Alvarez’s absence from the team. Brown expressed optimism that Alvarez will make a sooner-than-expected return due to his significant progress.
Alvarez attributed his prolonged injury to trying to play through initial symptoms, which may have caused further damage. The Astros slugger had previously hit .210 with three home runs and 18 RBIs in 29 games before landing on the injured list.
Source: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45407412/yordan-alvarez-return-astros-delayed-hand-fracture