Yordan Alvarez is hurt — again.
The Astros slugger suffered a “pretty significant” left ankle sprain that is expected to keep him “out for a while,” manager Joe Espada told reporters Tuesday.
“Let’s not get into days, weeks, any of that,” Espada said. “We are going to take one day at a time, but this is going to take some time to heal.”
Alvarez, a three-time All-Star, sprained the ankle as he stepped on home plate during the first inning of the Astros’ 6-3 win over the Rangers on Monday.
He was slated to undergo an MRI exam on his left ankle on Tuesday.
“It did not look good on the field,” Espada added.
“I saw him coming around [third base],” Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña told reporters after the game. “And then when he stepped on home plate, I had a front-row seat. His ankle kind of twisted, and when he had to plant again, I saw it twist again. And it’s not pretty. You don’t want to see that, especially Yordan Alvarez. We need him.”
Alvarez reportedly left Daikin Park on crutches and in a walking boot.
The latest Alvarez injury comes less than a month since he returned after missing 100 games with a right hand injury.
In 48 total games this season, Alvarez has hit .273/.367/.430 with six home runs.
Since returning on Aug. 26, Alvarez had provided a big boost for the Astros’ offense, hitting .369/.462/.569 across 78 plate appearances.
Alvarez has been one of the best hitters in baseball throughout his seven-year career, but injuries have plagued him, as he’s played in more than 135 games just twice.
The injury is a huge blow to the Astros, who are wrapped in a close American League West race, sitting a half-game back of the Mariners in the division heading into Tuesday’s play.
Houston is three games up on the Rangers and Guardians for the final wild-card spot.