Alvarez's return to Astros delayed by fracture

HOUSTON -- Yordan Alvarez's manus wounded is worse than it primitively appeared.

The Houston slugger felt symptom successful his close manus connected Friday portion hitting and a tiny fracture that was antecedently believed to beryllium a musculus strain was discovered. The fracture is astir 60% healed.

General manager Dana Brown said helium believes the fracture successful Alvarez's 4th metacarpal wasn't discovered successful archetypal imaging connected May 6 due to the fact that determination was excessively overmuch inflammation and fluid.

Alvarez has been retired since May 3 with the injury. They had hoped helium could travel disconnected the injured database this weekend.

"The contiguous program for him close present is to conscionable fto it rest," Brown said. "And he'll inactive proceed to bash different shot enactment similar the running, helium could astir apt spell retired successful the outfield and catch. He tin bash everything other but for prime up a bat. And so, we don't adjacent privation him hitting disconnected tees adjacent though helium feels bully capable to deed disconnected a tee. Just fto it heal wholly and past you'll beryllium back."

Since Friday's imaging showed that the fracture was already much than halfway healed, Brown doesn't judge it volition support him retired excessively overmuch longer.

"We're hopeful that due to the fact that he's healed truthful overmuch that ... he'll beryllium backmost sooner alternatively than later," Brown said.

Alvarez was asked erstwhile helium expects to return.

"I privation I had a magic shot to archer you," helium said successful Spanish done a translator. "The bully quality is that it's healing well, but I request remainder due to the fact that the information that I was keeping connected doing swings, it was taking it back, taking it (longer) to heal."

Brown added that they deliberation the fracture occurred erstwhile Alvarez tried to play done the archetypal musculus strain. Brown said helium played for astir 2 weeks aft initially noticing the occupation earlier the archetypal imaging was done.

"The musculus strain was real," Brown said. "I truly deliberation that erstwhile helium was warring done those weeks knowing that it wasn't the aforesaid feeling arsenic immoderate of his manus problems successful the past ... possibly that's erstwhile helium whitethorn person caused a small spot much damage."

Alvarez deed .210 with 3 location runs and 18 RBI successful 29 games this play earlier landing connected the injured list.