Astros' Alvarez Makes Back-to-Back Starts at Triple-A

Houston Astros All-Star Yordan Alvarez is inching closer to a return to the Majors after another rehab start with Sugar Land.

Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez made his third injury rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday, taking at-bats at designated hitter for the second time in a week.

This was Alvarez’s first action in consecutive games since going on the injured list in June. On Friday he played in left field for the first time since joining the Space Cowboys earlier this week.

Alvarez’s Saturday rehab start just happened to be on Alvarez Astros rainbow jersey night, in which fans got a replica of an Alvarez jersey modeled after the Astros’ rainbow jerseys from the 1970s and 1980s.

Alvarez walked in his first plate appearance in the first inning but was stranded by Shay Whitcomb.

After he popped out to lead off the fourth inning, he came back around to single in the fifth inning, which drove in Cesar Salazar.

Sugar Land pinch-hit for Alvarez in the seventh inning as he wrapped up 1-for-2 game with an RBI. He’s now hit .333 in three rehab games.

It’s the latest milestone for the All-Star, who could be back as early as the Astros’ series with the Texas Rangers, which starts on Monday.

On Friday, he started in left field and batted third. He went 1-for-4 at the plate with an RBI, the result of a double that scored Pedro León.

He handled a pair of chances in the field without an error.

He played his first rehab game on Wednesday, a day game for the Space Cowboys. He played as the DH and went 1-for-3 with a walk before he was removed from the game.

Alvarez was set to report to Sugar Land last week, but a head cold set him back. He needed the weekend to recover before he could report. Alvarez did continue to work out in Houston.

Alvarez was batting .277/.388/.589/.978 with 17 home runs and 55 RBI. The Astros placed Alvarez on the 10-day injured list with right oblique discomfort on June 9.

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