The Astros announced Thursday that they’ve reinstated designated hitter Yordan Alvarez from the injured list and placed closer Ryan Pressly on the paternity list. Outfielder Jose Siri was optioned to make room for Alvarez, while lefty Parker Mushinski was reinstated from the 15-day injured list to take Pressly’s spot for now.
Houston general manager James Click also provided updates on a pair of injured veterans, Michael Brantley and Jason Castro, neither of which sounded like return was imminent (Twitter links via FOX 26’s Mark Berman). There’s no present timetable for Brantley’s return from a shoulder injury, as the team needs to wait for the inflammation to die down before his rehab can progress further. Click stated that “the best medicine [for Brantley] is time” at this point. More nebulously, the GM said Castro is “making some decisions on what the best plan of attack is to get himself back into playing shape.” The team hopes to have a more concrete update on him before long.
With Brantley still sidelined indefinitely, it’s especially good news for Houston that Alvarez only wound up missing the minimum number of regular-season games possible due to inflammation in his right hand. He’s been the best overall offensive performer in baseball on a rate basis this season, ranking 12th among qualified hitters in batting average (.306), fourth in on-base percentage (.405) and leading the Majors in slugging percentage (.653). Only Aaron Judge (33), Kyle Schwarber (29) and Austin Riley (27) have more home runs than Alvarez’s 26, and each of those three players has at least 83 more plate appearances than Alvarez on the year.
This year’s brilliant production, paired with Alvarez’s generally outstanding track record, prompted the ’Stros to put forth a six-year, $115MM extension offer that Alvarez accepted. His new deal covers the 2023-28 seasons, ensuring that Houston will have control over one of the game’s best hitters for what would’ve been his first three free-agent seasons. Given just how good Alvarez is and how immediately he ascended to the ranks of MLB’s elite hitters, it’s easy to forget that he only just turned 25 years old. He’ll be 31 when the new contract expires, leaving him ample opportunity for a second major contract of note.
As for Pressly, he’ll be away from the team for up to three days. He’s been on an absolute tear of late, rattling off a string of nine perfect innings dating back to June 25, punching out 17 of the 27 consecutive hitters he’s retired in that stretch. Rafael Montero, Ryne Stanek and Hector Neris will all be leverage options for manager Dusty Baker in Pressly’s absence.
Mushinski’s return makes him the lone lefty reliever in Baker’s bullpen. The 26-year-old rookie has appeared in six games so far, yielding three runs on five hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 big league innings. He’s also logged a 3.32 ERA in 19 Triple-A innings so far in the 2022 season.
Yordan is back? Cool.
You’d never see a hockey player take a paternity leave. There are no real men left in baseball anymore.
Alright, tough guy.
Okay and?
And the stupidest take of the day goes to Jimmy…
Bro, you’ve either never had kids or that dad that goes out for smokes… it’s okay, someone had to be a real life Rambo.
You never see it in hockey because the NHL literally does not have a paternity leave policy. The reason you see it in baseball is because it is the only sport of the major 4 to have it in their CBA. A two second google search will show you this.
It has nothing to do with ‘real men’. Hockey players don’t take ‘paternity leave’ because they literally don’t have it available to take.
Then I guess Dominic Moore was a wimp? Look him up, you insufferable tool.
I’m well aware baseball is the only sport to allow paternity leave.
You couldn’t allow it in the NBA or the players would miss half the season if they took it for all their kid’s births.
The NFL doesn’t need it since they play once a week and the dad may be late a few hours late for the birth but he’ll show up eventually. The girl isn’t going anywhere anyway.
NHL players have loyalty to their team and locker room first. These tag along women know what they’re getting into.
MLB only has it so it can appear family friendly knowing full well their players are on the road drinking, using drugs, and hooking up with a different rando in every city.
that’s an epic take – rack him
@JummyForum….Of the 4 major team sports, it appears that only MLB has guaranteed paternity leave.
But to your point, your Dad always wanted to hug you.
But he didn’t and sometimes we have to discover (the hard way) how high levels of stress hormones throughout life negatively affect overall health.
Contrary to what those in Murica think, soccer IS a major sport!
@Chucky….. I’m aware of that and took pause when typing that. If it hasn’t already, futbol will pass up the NHL both in attendance and TV revenue.
A bunch of mother puckers in hockey.
He sexy 😉
Not as good looking as Willie McGee tho
Kyler Murray will make almost as much per year as the budget of the MLB team (OAK) that drafted him in only his 4th season. Good on you.
Kyler 1, Billy Beane 0
The NFL is not baseball!
Well his nfl career still isn’t over yet. He still faces things like cte which he wouldn’t in baseball.
Really, Pressly’s wife had 5 days to have the baby. Did she have to wait until after the break when playing the Yankees ?? Kidding…not kidding lol.
Didn’t your mother teach you not to hold it in? That’ll destroy those kidneys.
When sumpin’s brewin’…
One other Astros move that went unmentioned: Brandon Bielak is the 27th player for today’s doubleheader.
You farted!
Top 5 bat in baseball right now.
@Yanks4life22: yep … and just turned 25. A young gun who Houston has signed thru 2028. Woah and wow.