With 40% of the 2023 regular season in the books, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. How serious is Alvarez’s injury?
Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez exited yesterday’s loss to the Blue Jays after the first inning with what was termed right oblique discomfort. Speaking to reporters after the game, manager Dusty Baker (as relayed by MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart) told reporters that the club plans to re-evaluate their prized DH today, but called the injury a “tough blow.” As McTaggart notes, even a mild oblique issue seems likely to shelve Alvarez for at least a few games, as it did for Jose Altuve earlier this month when he missed four games with a mild oblique strain. A more significant strain, of course, could require a stint on the injured list.
Alvarez, who turns 26 at the end of the month, is having another sensational season at the plate for the Astros. The slugger has mashed to a .272/.384/.579 slash line in 242 plate appearances this season, good for a wRC+ of 165. While that sort of production will be next to impossible to replace fully, the Astros seem likely to offer more consistent at-bats to Corey Julks in the event that Alvarez misses time.
2. Eloy exits:
White Sox slugger Eloy Jimenez left yesterday’s game after feeling discomfort in his lower left leg while running the bases in a loss to the Yankees last night. Manager Pedro Grifol told reporters, including Scott Merkin of MLB.com, that Jimenez would be re-evaluated today and is considered day-to-day for the time being. A former top prospect, the talented Jimenez has found success when on the field throughout his big league career, with a wRC+ of 122 in the majors, but has struggled to stay on the field consistently in recent years, with just 174 games played since the start of the 2021 season.
In 2023, Jimenez has slashed .257/.315/.434 (105 wRC+) while splitting time between the DH slot and the outfield for the White Sox, though he’s been limited to just 35 games by two stints on the IL this season: one for a hamstring strain back in April and another after undergoing and appendectomy last month. Jimenez’s injury comes as the White Sox struggle to stay competitive in a weak AL Central, as the club is just 3.5 games back of the division-leading Twins despite a weak 28-36 record. Should Jimenez miss time, that would likely open up additional starts for the likes of Jake Burger and Clint Frazier.
3. Urias to return on Sunday:
The rotation picture in LA has begun to crystalize with Noah Syndergaard heading to the injured list yesterday. That leaves young right-handers Michael Grove and Bobby Miller secure in their rotation spots for the time being as they prepare to take the ball against the Phillies this weekend. Taking the ball to close out the series this weekend will be left-hander Julio Urias, who has been on the injured list since the middle of May with a hamstring strain. Last week, Urias threw a 30-pitch bullpen session, leading to speculation that he could return in the near future. That’s now coming to fruition as Urias figures to start Sunday’s game in Philadelphia.
Urias’s return could provide a boost to the Dodgers’ pitching staff as the club as the club looks to stop their current skid. Losers of 6 of their last 10 games, the Dodgers have seceded ground in the NL West race to the Diamondbacks in recent days, with Arizona currently holding a 1.5 game lead over Los Angeles in the division. That being said, Urias has struggled in 2023 to meet the lofty expectations set by his work in previous seasons. After posting a 2.63 ERA (158 ERA+) in 495 1/3 innings of work between 2019 and 2022, Urias has seemingly taken a step back through ten starts in 2023, with a 4.39 ERA that’s barely league average by measure of ERA+ (101) and a worrisome 5.31 FIP.