Astros' Yordan Alvarez placed on 10-day IL with hand injury

Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to right hand inflammation after being scratched from multiple games, which may explain his slow start this season. Alvarez, a key offensive player for the Astros, has posted a disappointing .210 batting average with three home runs and 18 RBIs over 29 games, well below his usual standards. Astros manager Joe Espada indicated the injury is not believed to be serious and has been building over several days rather than resulting from a single incident. The team hopes Alvarez's time off will allow him to recover fully and potentially reset his performance at the plate. In his absence, the Astros have recalled catcher Cesar Salazar and may utilize Yainer Diaz and Victor Caratini more frequently as designated hitters. Houston remains optimistic that Alvarez will return as soon as he is eligible, as his bat is crucial to the team's offensive success.