1 week agoHouston Astros outfielder/designated hitter
Yordan Alvarez (thumb) is returning to the starting lineup on Wednesday evening against the New York Mets. Alvarez was scratched from Tuesday's lineup due to this minor injury. However, as expected, Alvarez is set to return to action just 24 hours later. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status in case he faces a setback. Earlier in the offseason, the team has expressed that they will have Alvarez serve as their designated hitter more often to keep him healthy. Last season, the 27-year-old slugger made 53 starts in the outfield, but fantasy managers should expect that number to decline in 2025. In the batter's box, he posted an elite .308/.392/.567 slash line with 35 home runs and an elite .411 xwOBA. He should be viewed as a high-power upside No. 1 outfielder in all formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Matt Kawahara
1 week agoHouston Astros outfielder
Yordan Alvarez (thumb) was scratched from Tuesday's lineup due to thumb soreness. Chandler Rome of The Athletic noted that he suffered this injury during Sunday's batting practice. However, manager Joe Espada expressed that Alvarez will likely return to the lineup on Wednesday. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but it appears this injury is not very serious. Last season, Alvarez posted a stellar .308/.392/.567 slash line with 34 doubles and 35 home runs. He tallied 88 runs and 86 RBI. He generated an elite .411 xwOBA and a .595 xSLG, which placed him in the 99th percentile, respectively. The Astros have stated that Alvarez will likely see more time as a designated hitter throughout the season to keep him healthy. Given his elite power upside, fantasy managers should confidently target him as a high-end No. 1 outfielder.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Chandler Rome
2 weeks agoHouston Astros outfielder
Yordan Alvarez is expected to see most of his starts during the 2025 season as a designated hitter. Manager Joe Espada expressed that they need to keep him healthy. The skipper also noted "Things are going to have to be really awful for me to be running him out there that many games," about him potentially starting more than 50 games in the outfield. Last season, Alvarez made 53 of his 147 starts in left field. However, it appears the coaching staff will ensure that number decreases in the 2025 campaign. As a result, this will open up more starts for
Chas McCormick,
Mauricio Dubon,
Zach Dezenzo, and even top prospect
Cam Smith. Last season, Alvarez was dominant in the batter's box as he posted a strong .308/.392/.567 line with 35 long balls. He should be viewed as a late first-round target in all fantasy formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Matt Kawahara
2 months agoHouston Astros outfielder/designated hitter
Yordan Alvarez (knee) told reporters this week at FanFest that his knee is 100 percent healed and that he has felt normal for at least three to four weeks. Alvarez injured his right knee toward the end of the regular season in 2024 and thought he might need surgery, but he ended up avoiding going under the knife. The left-handed slugger said he's ready to hit and play defense in spring training. It's great news for the 27-year-old, who is one of the best all-around hitters in baseball. He reached the 30-homer mark for the fourth straight season in 2024 and also had career-highs in games played (147) and plate appearances (635) despite injuring his knee late in the year. Despite a history of lower-body injuries, Alvarez is currently ranked as the No. 14 overall fantasy player by RotoBaller for 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Ari Alexander
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