Astros’ Yordan Alvarez exits after left ankle injury stepping on home plate
Alvarez left Monday’s game against the Rangers after slipping while scoring; MRI scheduled Tuesday, team diagnoses left ankle sprain
HOUSTON — Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez exited Monday’s game against the Texas Rangers after suffering a left ankle injury while stepping on home plate in the first inning, and the team announced he has a left ankle sprain.
Alvarez was on first base when Carlos Correa lined a ball into the infield and Rangers starter Jack Leiter committed a throwing error, allowing Alvarez to score from first. As Alvarez crossed the plate he appeared to slip on the plate and his left ankle rolled, sending him hobbling toward the Astros dugout on Sept. 15, 2025.
Astros first baseman Christian Walker helped brace Alvarez after the play, and a team trainer and manager Joe Espada promptly came out to check on him. Alvarez was assisted down the dugout steps and into the clubhouse. Rookie Zach Cole was inserted into the lineup in place of Alvarez.
The Astros said Alvarez suffered a left ankle sprain and Espada told reporters after the game that Alvarez would undergo an MRI on his left ankle on Tuesday to determine the extent of the injury. The club provided no immediate timetable for his return.
Alvarez had only recently returned to the Astros’ lineup on Aug. 26 after missing 100 games with a fractured right hand. In the 18 games since his return he had produced a .369 batting average, .455 on-base percentage and .569 slugging percentage.
The injury comes as the Astros are in the thick of a playoff race. Houston trailed the Seattle Mariners by one game in the American League West entering play Monday and held a two-game lead in the AL wild-card standings over the Rangers. The Astros’ next six games are against Texas and Seattle as the regular season heads into its final stretch.
Manager Espada and the Astros medical staff faced a significant question about lineup configuration and postseason readiness should Alvarez be sidelined for more than a short period. Alvarez, who wears No. 21, is a central figure in the Astros’ offense and his availability is expected to be a closely monitored storyline while the club awaits MRI results.
The Astros did not provide further medical details after Monday’s announcement. The MRI on Tuesday is intended to clarify the severity of the sprain and guide treatment and any potential absence. The club will update Alvarez’s status after imaging and evaluation.