2 weeks agoHouston Astros designated hitter
Yordan Alvarez belted his first home run of the season on Sunday, a game-tying two-run blast in the ninth inning of the team's 9-7 win in extra innings. The left-handed slugger finished 2-for-4 on the day with three RBI and a run scored. The 27-year-old got off to a slow start, going 1-for-16 ( .063) over his first five games, but has picked up the pace, going 5-for-17 (.294) over the last four. The 3x All-Star is coming off his fourth straight 30-homer campaign and looks to be heating up as the team heads to Seattle to take on
Logan Gilbert and the Mariners on Monday. Alvarez is 8-for-28 (.286) off the righty in his career, including four doubles, a home run, and a 3:8 BB:K, making him an intriguing DFS play against the talented pitcher.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 weeks agoHouston Astros third baseman
Isaac Paredes is set to bat in the two-hole entering the season, with outfielder
Yordan Alvarez batting third, according to manager Joe Espada. Paredes will be looking to take advantage of the Crawford Boxes in short left field of Daikin Park and perform like the player he was in 2023 when he slashed .250/.352/.488 with 31 home runs for the Rays. He should see plenty of pitches to hit while batting in front of Alvarez, who has proven himself to be one of the best hitters in the league. He is coming off of a 2024 season where he slashed .308/.392/.567 with 35 home runs, 86 RBI, and 88 runs in 147 games.
--Jeremy Heist - RotoBallerSource: Matt Kawahara
1 month 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 month 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
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