Astros Plagued by Injuries, Face Tough Call on Trading Star Yordan Alvarez

The Houston Astros have posted the second-most wins and second-highest winning percentage in Major League Baseball over the last decade, with an 890-627 record.

They captured World Series titles in 2022 and 2017, though the earlier championship carries the stain of a major cheating scandal. Since 2017, the Astros reached the World Series four times, claimed the AL West seven times in eight years and made the postseason eight straight years. That run ended in 2025 after injuries produced an 87-75 finish. The 2026 season offered promise with ace Hunter Brown, new arrival Tatsuya Imai, closer Josh Hader, hitter Yordan Alvarez and a hoped-for rebound from Carlos Correa.

By mid-May, reality struck hard. After a Sunday loss, the Astros stood 16-25, tied for last in the division with the American League's second-worst run differential.

Injuries piled up. Brown landed on the injured list for most of the year with a shoulder strain. Hader has not pitched due to left biceps tendinitis. Jeremy Pena has missed time since mid-April with a hamstring strain. Imai suffered arm fatigue after a rough MLB debut and pointed to struggles adjusting to life in the United States. Christian Javier also deals with a shoulder strain.

The latest setback came last week when Correa tore an ankle tendon during batting practice, ending his season.

Some players could return soon, but the rash of ailments forces a hard question for a perennial contender: sell at the deadline? The 2026 free agent class looks thin, headlined by injured Tarik Skubal.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale raised the possibility of trading Alvarez. A veteran scout compared him to Barry Bonds. "He's the greatest pure hitter I've seen in this game since Barry Bonds," the scout said. "This guy is unbelievable. He's the best pure hitter in the game, and it's not close."

Another executive predicted a massive return. "If they traded him, I think they'd get a better package than what the Nationals got for Juan Soto," the executive said.

Nightengale noted no deal looms and one remains unlikely, though the Astros would be remiss not to listen to strong offers. Alvarez entered Sunday batting .327/.432/.660 with 13 home runs, a 195 weighted runs created plus and 2.1 wins above replacement. At 28, he remains under contract through 2028. His bat outweighs limited defense, drawing interest from multiple teams and a haul of top prospects.