The Astros introduced Thursday that they’ve reinstated designated hitter Yordan Alvarez from the injured checklist and positioned nearer Ryan Pressly on the paternity checklist. Outfielder Jose Siri was optioned to make room for Alvarez, whereas lefty Parker Mushinski was reinstated from the 15-day injured checklist to take Pressly’s spot for now.
Houston normal supervisor James Click on additionally offered updates on a pair of injured veterans, Michael Brantley and Jason Castro, neither of which seemed like return was imminent (Twitter links through FOX 26’s Mark Berman). There’s no current timetable for Brantley’s return from a shoulder harm, because the group wants to attend for the irritation to die down earlier than his rehab can progress additional. Click on said that “the very best drugs [for Brantley] is time” at this level. Extra nebulously, the GM stated Castro is “making some selections on what the very best plan of assault is to get himself again into enjoying form.” The group hopes to have a extra concrete replace on him earlier than lengthy.
With Brantley nonetheless sidelined indefinitely, it’s particularly excellent news for Houston that Alvarez solely wound up lacking the minimal variety of regular-season video games attainable as a consequence of irritation in his proper hand. He’s been the very best total offensive performer in baseball on a price foundation this season, rating twelfth amongst certified hitters in batting common (.306), fourth in on-base share (.405) and main the Majors in slugging share (.653). Solely Aaron Judge (33), Kyle Schwarber (29) and Austin Riley (27) have extra residence runs than Alvarez’s 26, and every of these three gamers has at the very least 83 extra plate appearances than Alvarez on the 12 months.
This 12 months’s good manufacturing, paired with Alvarez’s usually excellent monitor report, prompted the ’Stros to place forth a six-year, $115MM extension offer that Alvarez accepted. His new deal covers the 2023-28 seasons, guaranteeing that Houston may have management over one of many sport’s finest hitters for what would’ve been his first three free-agent seasons. Given simply how good Alvarez is and the way instantly he ascended to the ranks of MLB’s elite hitters, it’s simple to neglect that he solely simply turned 25 years outdated. He’ll be 31 when the brand new contract expires, leaving him ample alternative for a second main contract of notice.
As for Pressly, he’ll be away from the group for as much as three days. He’s been on an absolute tear of late, rattling off a string of 9 excellent innings courting again to June 25, punching out 17 of the 27 consecutive hitters he’s retired in that stretch. Rafael Montero, Ryne Stanek and Hector Neris will all be leverage choices for supervisor Dusty Baker in Pressly’s absence.
Mushinski’s return makes him the lone lefty reliever in Baker’s bullpen. The 26-year-old rookie has appeared in six video games to date, yielding three runs on 5 hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 huge league innings. He’s additionally logged a 3.32 ERA in 19 Triple-A innings to date within the 2022 season.
