During the week of Aug 19-24, Astros slugger and outfielder Yordan Alvarez played four games on the Corpus Christi Hooks roster against the Frisco RoughRiders while rehabilitating his fractured hand.

            On the Tuesday, Aug. 19 game, Alvarez landed two hits but no runs. He didn’t play on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Hooks won 4-2, and two of those runs were scored by Alvarez, who landed three hits.  On Friday, the Hooks won 12-4, and he scored a run with zero hits. He didn’t play on Saturday either, but on Sunday, the Corpus Christi slammed Frisco 12-5 with one run and two hits from Alvarez.

            The Friday, Aug. 22 game opened with two scoreless innings, although both Orlando Martinez (DH) and Jeron Williams (SS) stayed at first and second base while the next three players at bat struck out. In the third inning, however, what started with a double play on Frisco ended with a seven-run lead in Corpus Christi’s favor.

A walk to first from Alvarez (LF) started what eventually became a major lead in runs. A single led Lucas Spence (RF) to first and Alvarez to second, immediately followed by a triple play by Zach Cole (CF). The play sent Cole to third base and Alvarez and Spence to home, scoring the first two runs of the night.

Although Trevor Austin (3B-LF) struck out, Cole ran home, making the score 3-0. With the bases clear, Martinez stood at bat and made it to first, followed by Williams running to first base and Martinez running to second base. Will Bush (1B) struck out, but Martinez and Williams remained at base. Tommy Sacco Jr.’s (2B) single led to John Garcia (C) being at bat with the bases loaded. Garcia hit a grand slam that set Corpus Christi’s victory in stone.

Following the slam from Garcia, the game turned stagnant in three scoreless innings. There was a brief interlude after the sixth inning in which the stands played a stadium-wide beachball race that was won by the home side (a rare feat).

At the beginning of the seventh inning, Frisco scored four runs against Corpus Christi, and the Hooks responded in kind during the second half: Cole, Austin, Martinez, and Williams walked home. As in, every single run scored by Corpus Christi against Frisco was a walk from the pitcher. This left the score at 11-4.  During the eighth inning, Martinez scored one last run for the Hooks, while Frisco scored none in both the eighth and ninth innings, leaving the final score at 12-4, Corpus Christi victory.

Players Pascanel Ferreras (PH-3B) and Austin agreed that Alvarez was nice, professional, and cool to have around the field and the dugout.

According to the MLB, Alvarez originally sustained the injury in his right hand in April of this year while swinging the bat during a game. Then, he was removed from the game against the White Sox on May 3 and was officially added to the injury list on May 5. The injury was originally diagnosed as a muscle strain, due to swelling obstructing a fracture of the fourth metacarpal. On May 31, the team announced the fracture, stating that the fracture was small and 60% healed.

“Ownership is not at all interested in getting [the player] back on the field if they are suboptimal,” said Dr. Chad Peters of Armadillo Sport Chiropractic. “What they want is a fully functioning athlete, and that includes the treatment for the broken hand, the therapy that makes sure the muscles are working the right way, and most likely some mental coaching and training so that when this athlete steps back onto the field, there is no question in their mind. No fear, no doubt. Nothing but ‘I am at the peak of my performance.’”

Following Alvarez’s rehabilitation stint in Corpus Christi, he returned to Daikin Park (formerly Minute Maid Park) on Tuesday, Aug. 27. The Houston Astros announced his return by posting a series of comedic and welcoming posts, including: the entirety of the lyrics to “Love Story” by Taylor Swift dedicated to him, “Yordaddy’s home”, “Lookin’ good #44”, and a “He’s Back” graphic that included his stats. During his second day back, on Aug. 28, he was at bat four times and scored two runs, including a home run. He’ll be playing the rest of the series against the Colorado Rockies, the Los Angeles Angels and the New York Yankees.