11:48am: GM James Click says the hope is for Alvarez to return on Friday, as Rome further reports. There’s no new concern, it seems. Alvarez has simply not progressed quite as quickly as hoped. Click indicate he still believes Alvarez will be ready for Opening Day.

9:52am: Astros outfielder/DH Yordan Alvarez has been dealing with a seemingly minor knee injury. But it’s an increasing threat to his readiness for the upcoming season.

Houston manager Dusty Baker says that Alvarez won’t appear on Wednesday as had been scheduled, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports on Twitter. His precise timeline is unclear and it’s now uncertain whether he’ll be able to on the active roster on Opening Day.

Alvarez did say just yesterday that he has seen improvement in the joint, as Rome reported. And he expressed optimism about his ability to return for the start of the season.

The precise issue isn’t entirely clear, but Alvarez has indicated it is more or less the same sort of discomfort he faced during the 2019 season. Those problems didn’t prevent him from marauding through MLB pitching, but there’s obviously ample good reason to ensure that the 22-year-old is at full health in advance of his sophomore campaign.

At the moment, there’s no indication that any invasive or other more significant treatment is under consideration. The ‘Stros can afford to be patient. While the team would unquestionably miss Alvarez’s big left-handed bat during any absence, it can fill in by handing over more opportunities to Kyle Tucker and others.

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