The Houston Astros once sat atop the AL West , but their grip on the division has slipped away at the worst possible time. Yordan Alvarez and Josh Hader remain sidelined, and manager Joe Espada admitted their timelines are still unclear . Alvarez has yet to resume baseball activities, while Hader underwent fresh imaging two days ago. Espada confirmed that Hader’s shoulder is healing, but he still has not resumed throwing. Those updates cast doubt on the Astros chances of pushing into the MLB postseason .

The injuries to Yordan Alvarez and Hader have left the Astros without two of their most important pieces . Alvarez’s power has long carried the lineup , but his absence has left holes that the offense has struggled to cover. Josh Hader, acquired to lock down games in the

See Full Page