Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) remains on the 10-day injured list and is out of the team's starting lineup for Thursday's divisional contest against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Catcher Victor Caratini will serve as the DH and will hit sixth against Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom. Although Alvarez was able to hit in the batting cage before Thursday's game, the Astros will keep the 27-year-old All-Star on the IL for another day as a precaution. He should be able to return to Houston's starting lineup at some point this weekend during the four-game set against Texas, though. When he does return, fantasy managers are hoping that the muscle strain in his hand is in the rearview mirror and he can start producing at the plate after a rough start with a .210/.306/.340 slash line in his first 100 at-bats in 2025.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said that designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) will not come off the 10-day injured list to rejoin the starting lineup on Tuesday night against the visiting Kansas City Royals. However, Alvarez is trending in the right direction and is expected to rejoin the club soon, possible for Thursday's series opener in Texas against the division-rival Rangers. The 27-year-old landed on the IL with a muscle strain in his right hand that could be the primary culprit for the three-time All-Star's slow start in 2025. Jose Altuve is serving as the DH on Tuesday, while Chas McCormick is making the start in left field and batting ninth against Royals left-hander Kris Bubic. Fantasy managers hope Alvarez can turn things around when he's back after starting with a .210/.306/.340 slash line and a .646 OPS in his first 100 at-bats.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand), who is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list on Tuesday, hit in the cages before Monday's series opener at Daikin Park against the Kansas City Royals, according to manager Joe Espada. Alvarez is on the IL with a muscle strain in his right hand, and while it's not considered overly serious, fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting him to be back in the lineup for Game 2 of the series against KC. However, the 27-year-old left-handed slugger could be back from the IL for the start of the team's road trip in Texas against the Rangers on Thursday. The three-time Cuban slugger hasn't looked like himself at the plate so far in 2025, perhaps because of his hand injury, slashing a weak .210/.306/.340 with an uncharacteristically low .646 OPS, three home runs, 18 RBI and seven runs in his 100 at-bats. Hopefully, Alvarez will be more productive when he returns.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) is reportedly feeling better, but isn't ready to swing the bat yet, according to manager Joe Espada. Alvarez is currently on the injured list while he recovers from a muscle strain in his right hand. It seems unlikely at the moment that Alvarez will come off the injured list when first eligible. The 27-year-old still has a few more days to recover, but the fact he's not swinging a bat yet isn't a good sign. Fantasy managers should continue to stash Alvarez and hope he'll return in the next week or two. In the meantime, the Astros have been swapping different players at the designated hitter spot. That will likely remain the case until Alvarez returns.

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said that designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) is feeling a lot better while dealing with a muscle strain in his right hand that he's experienced before. The Astros don't think Alvarez is going to be out for long, and they are hoping to get him back from the 10-day injured list in the next week or so. The 27-year-old left-handed slugger is eligible to return from the IL on May 13, so fantasy managers will also be hoping he can be back by then. If Alvarez does return when he's eligible, he should be back in the starting lineup for Game 2 of next week's series against the Kansas City Royals. Alvarez's hand injury could be part of the reason why he has struggled to the tune of a .210 average (21-for-100) so far this year with three home runs, 18 RBI, seven runs scored and a stolen base in 29 games. Keep Alvarez stashed in all fantasy leagues.

The results of an MRI exam showed that Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) has a muscle strain on the top of his right had that just needs some rest. Manager Joe Espada said the team hopes it won't be longer than the 10 days that Alvarez will need on the injured list. It's excellent news for both the Astros and Alvarez's fantasy managers, as he could be back in the big leagues by May 13. Since the Astros placed the 27-year-old All-Star on the IL, Jose Altuve has served as the DH once, with Yainer Diaz also getting a nod there. Fantasy managers will be hoping that Alvarez can turn things around at the plate, too, when he gets over his hand injury. The left-handed Cuban slugger has opened the 2025 season with a disappointing .210/.306/.340 slash line with three home runs, 18 RBI, seven runs scored and one stolen base in an even 100 at-bats.

The Houston Astros placed designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) on the 10-day injured list with right-hand inflammation on Monday, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. The Astros were saying that Alvarez's right-hand injury wasn't all that serious, and they didn't send him for testing, but he'll now miss at least the next 10 days after sitting out the last two contests. Fantasy managers can only hope that the 27-year-old left-handed-hitting All-Star will be back sooner than later and get going at the plate when he does return. In 29 games in 2025, the Cuban slugger has slashed a disappointing .210/.306/.340 with a career-worst .646 OPS, three home runs and 18 RBI in 121 plate appearances. Until Alvarez is able to return, Zach Dezenzo and catcher Yainer Diaz are most likely to split playing time in the DH role for Houston. Keep Alvarez stashed everywhere.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) is "feeling better" but will remain sidelined on Sunday. Manager Joe Espada noted that Alvarez will likely not need imaging on his hand. This is a positive sign as it appears Alvarez is dealing with a minor injury. Fantasy managers should monitor his status leading up to their next game on Monday evening against the Milwaukee Brewers. This afternoon, Yainer Diaz will shift to the DH spot, which opens a spot for Victor Caratini to be behind the dish. Before his injury, Alvarez was having a slow start to the campaign, holding a modest .210/.306/.340 slash line with three home runs and one stolen base. However, under the hood, the slugger has generated an elite .495 xSLG and a .364 xwOBA, which are both well above the average marks. The Astros are worth targeting in DFS this afternoon, facing Chicago right-hander Bryse Wilson.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (hand) has been scratched from the starting lineup on Saturday against the hosting Chicago White Sox due to inflammation in his right hand, according to manager Joe Espada. Alvarez hit in the cages earlier on Saturday and his hand didn't feel right, Espada said. Fantasy managers will be keeping their fingers crossed that this doesn't end up being a serious injury that forces Alvarez to the injured list. It could help explain why the 27-year-old Cuban slugger has been a disappointment early in 2025, though. Through his first 96 at-bats, he's slashing .219/.316/.354 with a below-average .670 OPS, only three home runs, 18 RBI, seven runs scored and one stolen base over 28 games. For now, remove the three-time All-Star from your lineups and check back on Sunday for more updates. If Alvarez misses more time, Zach Dezenzo and Chas McCormick could see more action.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez and catcher Yainer Diaz are resting in Wednesday's series finale against the visiting Detroit Tigers. Outfielder Jose Altuve is serving as the DH and is batting second, while Victor Caratini is doing the catching and hitting fifth against Tigers rookie right-hander Jackson Jobe. Zach Dezenzo is in left field and is hitting eighth. Alvarez had an undisclosed injury scare on Monday and was pulled early against Detroit, but he returned to action on Tuesday and went 1-for-4 with an RBI in the 6-4 victory. It's still early, but the three-time All-Star hasn't been his normal self in 2025 to this point with a .219/.316/.354 slash line and three homers in 96 at-bats. Diaz will get a breather after starting the last four games. He, too, has also struggled at the plate early on, going 17-for-91 (.187) with two homers, 12 RBI and eight runs scored for Houston.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (undisclosed) is back in the team's starting lineup on Tuesday and is batting third against the Detroit Tigers and right-hander Reese Olson at Daikin Park. Alvarez exited Monday's game against the Tigers early after hitting a single in the seventh inning, but the Astros never gave an official injury designation for the 27-year-old All-Star. Obviously, the move to pull Alvarez in the series opener on Monday was precautionary, and fantasy managers will want to keep him in their starting lineups on Tuesday. Alvarez has gotten off to a poor start at the plate, especially considering his high standards, as he comes into Tuesday's contest with a .217/.319/.359 slash line, a .677 OPS and only three home runs in his 92 at-bats. The Cuban slugger should turn it around eventually. He has never faced Olson in his career.

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (undisclosed) exited Monday's 8-5 win over the Tigers in the seventh inning after an "uncomfortable slide," per The Athletic's Chandler Rome. Alvarez slid into second base in the sixth inning but stayed in the game, hitting an RBI single in the seventh inning before being pinch-run for by Zach Dezenzo. Alvarez went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Fantasy managers should keep an eye out for any more news and should pay attention to Tuesday's lineup card, but it seems that Alvarez can be considered day-to-day. The 27-year-old has struggled in the early going, slashing just .217/.319/.359 with three home runs and 17 RBI in 113 plate appearances.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez went 2-for-4 with a home run and a double in his team's 7-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. The 27-year-old drove in three runs while scoring and walking once in the contest. Alvarez victimized Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic in the top of the third inning with a 436-foot blast that he deposited over the right-center field wall at 110.6 MPH to score the Astros' first runs of the day. His double was also struck well, leaving the bat at a scorching 109.1. It hasn't been the best start for the lefty slugger, as he holds an underwhelming .213 average (19-for-89) through his first 26 outings. However, he may be coming around as he's displayed a better eye at the plate over the last ten days.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez is not in the team's starting lineup with a left-hander on the mound in Wednesday's series finale versus the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Jose Altuve will serve as the DH while hitting leadoff, and Chas McCormick draws into left field while batting ninth against Cardinals southpaw Steven Matz. Alvarez hit his second home run of the season in Tuesday's win over St. Louis, but he's hitting an uncharacteristic .224 (13-for-58) with two doubles, 10 RBI, a steal, 11 walks and 15 strikeouts in his first 17 games. It's still way too early to panic with the three-time All-Star. Altuve, meanwhile, continues to hit .300 with three homers, seven RBI, 10 runs and three steals after moving permanently to left field. Both he and McCormick have homered in their careers off Matz, although McCormick is a lackluster DFS play in the nine-hole on Wednesday.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez belted his first home run of the season on Sunday, a game-tying two-run blast in the ninth inning of the team's 9-7 win in extra innings. The left-handed slugger finished 2-for-4 on the day with three RBI and a run scored. The 27-year-old got off to a slow start, going 1-for-16 ( .063) over his first five games, but has picked up the pace, going 5-for-17 (.294) over the last four. The 3x All-Star is coming off his fourth straight 30-homer campaign and looks to be heating up as the team heads to Seattle to take on Logan Gilbert andthe Mariners on Monday. Alvarez is 8-for-28 (.286) off the righty in his career, including four doubles, a home run, and a 3:8 BB:K, making him an intriguing DFS play against the talented pitcher.

Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes is set to bat in the two-hole entering the season, with outfielder Yordan Alvarez batting third, according to manager Joe Espada. Paredes will be looking to take advantage of the Crawford Boxes in short left field of Daikin Park and perform like the player he was in 2023 when he slashed .250/.352/.488 with 31 home runs for the Rays. He should see plenty of pitches to hit while batting in front of Alvarez, who has proven himself to be one of the best hitters in the league. He is coming off of a 2024 season where he slashed .308/.392/.567 with 35 home runs, 86 RBI, and 88 runs in 147 games.

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (thumb) is returning to the starting lineup on Wednesday evening against the New York Mets. Alvarez was scratched from Tuesday's lineup due to this minor injury. However, as expected, Alvarez is set to return to action just 24 hours later. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status in case he faces a setback. Earlier in the offseason, the team has expressed that they will have Alvarez serve as their designated hitter more often to keep him healthy. Last season, the 27-year-old slugger made 53 starts in the outfield, but fantasy managers should expect that number to decline in 2025. In the batter's box, he posted an elite .308/.392/.567 slash line with 35 home runs and an elite .411 xwOBA. He should be viewed as a high-power upside No. 1 outfielder in all formats.

Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez (thumb) was scratched from Tuesday's lineup due to thumb soreness. Chandler Rome of The Athletic noted that he suffered this injury during Sunday's batting practice. However, manager Joe Espada expressed that Alvarez will likely return to the lineup on Wednesday. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but it appears this injury is not very serious. Last season, Alvarez posted a stellar .308/.392/.567 slash line with 34 doubles and 35 home runs. He tallied 88 runs and 86 RBI. He generated an elite .411 xwOBA and a .595 xSLG, which placed him in the 99th percentile, respectively. The Astros have stated that Alvarez will likely see more time as a designated hitter throughout the season to keep him healthy. Given his elite power upside, fantasy managers should confidently target him as a high-end No. 1 outfielder.

Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez is expected to see most of his starts during the 2025 season as a designated hitter. Manager Joe Espada expressed that they need to keep him healthy. The skipper also noted "Things are going to have to be really awful for me to be running him out there that many games," about him potentially starting more than 50 games in the outfield. Last season, Alvarez made 53 of his 147 starts in left field. However, it appears the coaching staff will ensure that number decreases in the 2025 campaign. As a result, this will open up more starts for Chas McCormick, Mauricio Dubon, Zach Dezenzo, and even top prospect Cam Smith. Last season, Alvarez was dominant in the batter's box as he posted a strong .308/.392/.567 line with 35 long balls. He should be viewed as a late first-round target in all fantasy formats.

Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (knee) told reporters this week at FanFest that his knee is 100 percent healed and that he has felt normal for at least three to four weeks. Alvarez injured his right knee toward the end of the regular season in 2024 and thought he might need surgery, but he ended up avoiding going under the knife. The left-handed slugger said he's ready to hit and play defense in spring training. It's great news for the 27-year-old, who is one of the best all-around hitters in baseball. He reached the 30-homer mark for the fourth straight season in 2024 and also had career-highs in games played (147) and plate appearances (635) despite injuring his knee late in the year. Despite a history of lower-body injuries, Alvarez is currently ranked as the No. 14 overall fantasy player by RotoBaller for 2025.