Yordan Alvarez is back - and if you ask the Astros, he's looking and feeling better than he has in a long time. That’s music to Houston’s ears after a 2025 season that never quite found its rhythm, in large part because their slugging superstar was sidelined for most of it.
Alvarez, a three-time All-Star and one of the most feared left-handed hitters in the game, missed significant time last year due to a fractured right hand and a left ankle sprain. The injuries limited him to just 48 games - a stunning drop-off for a player who had previously been a lock for 30-plus homers and MVP conversations. In fact, from 2019 through 2023, Alvarez launched 31 or more home runs in every full season he played, including a third-place finish in AL MVP voting in 2022.
So, yeah - his absence was felt. And while Houston still had talent across the roster, not having Alvarez in the middle of the lineup was like trying to run a high-octane offense without its engine. The Astros ultimately missed the postseason, and while there were multiple reasons for that, you can draw a direct line between Alvarez’s limited availability and the team’s October absence.
Now, though? The tone is different. Astros general manager Dana Brown met with reporters at Daikin Park in Houston this week and made it clear: Alvarez is healthy, and the team is fired up.
“I think this is probably the best he’s felt in a long time,” Brown said. “He’s been doing a lot of workouts, he’s been swinging the bat a lot - zero concerns at all.”
That last part - zero concerns - is what Astros fans have been waiting to hear. Because when Alvarez is healthy, he’s one of the most dangerous bats in baseball.
He doesn’t just hit home runs; he hits them hard, often, and in the biggest moments. His presence in the lineup changes the way pitchers attack the Astros from top to bottom.
Brown added that Alvarez is “on pace to be ready for Spring Training,” which is a major checkpoint for a Houston team that wants to hit the ground running in 2026. After the disappointment of last season, there’s a renewed urgency - and a healthy Alvarez is at the heart of that.
You can feel the optimism brewing in Houston. The team knows what it looks like when Alvarez is at full strength: the ball jumps off his bat, the lineup stretches deeper, and the offense becomes a nightmare for opposing pitching staffs. That’s the version of the Astros that’s aiming to return this year - and if Alvarez stays on the field, they might just get there.
Opening Day can’t come soon enough.