Why Yordan Álvarez is Most Likely Dealing With A Hamate Bone Injury

With the baseball world wondering how long star designated hitter Yordan Álvarez will be out, Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker provided a few key details during a radio interview with SportsTalk 790 on Tuesday:

By video and reinforced by Baker's comments Tuesday, a hook of the hamate bone injury is still the most likely cause of Álvarez's right hand inflammation, according to our panel of Pro Baseball Docs.

The left-handed slugger remains on the 10-day IL with what the team labeled as "hand inflammation."

Houston is not wrong in saying he's dealing with hand inflammation, but that is a general term that doesn't hint at a cause.

The hope is Álvarez can overcome the issue without surgery and an extended absence, but his recovery trajectory doesn't seem to be heading that direction. 

Yordan Álvarez Injury Update

The Astros have typically strayed away from disclosing information about injuries, but Baker's interview revealed a few key details about Álvarez's injury.

“The imaging showed no further damage," Baker said in the interview Tuesday.

This marked the first time the team has acknowledged there is damage that shows up on a CT scan.

When Álvarez originally suffered the injury June 18, Buster Olney reported the team was initially concerned about a broken hamate for the AL MVP candidate. Olney said the team got good news from an exam and he returned to the lineup June 21.

By video, his June 19 swing and flexing of his right hand is consistent with a stress injury to the hamate bone.

“It had gotten to the point where it was very uncomfortable for him to swing,” Baker said in the interview. “We just want to get this right because it's been bothering him now, on and off, probably about a month at least.”

The team is reportedly hopeful Álvarez can return for the doubleheader against the Yankees on July 21, after the All-Star break.

Since the injury has been bothering him for a month, a 10-day IL stint is unlikely to remedy the issue for Álvarez and the Astros, according to the Pro Baseball Docs.

In 15 games from June 1 to June 18 – before the injury – Álvarez hit .444 with 4 home runs, 19 RBIs and 11 runs. He had just 6 strikeouts in 65 at bats during that stretch, 9.2%.

Since returning June 21, Álvarez has hit .286 with 8 home runs, 13 RBIs and 16 runs scored across 16 games. He also struck out 18 times in 68 plate appearances, or 26.5% of the time. This season, his strikeout percentage is 18%.

Those are still great numbers on the surface, but the longer the hand issue persists the more likely his power numbers are to dip.

Surgery Return Timeline

Hook of the hamate injuries affect a person's ability to grip and swing. That was the case with golfer Bryson DeChambeau, who attempted to play through a hook of the hamate injury before electing for surgery.

If the hand is going to remain an issue, as it often does with hamate bone injuries, now is an optimal time for surgery, according to our team of doctors.

Surgery to remove the damaged hook of the hamate bone typically carries a recovery of 6-8 weeks.

Most of that time is spent waiting for the incision to heal and the surgery is reliable.

With Houston currently boasting a 12 game advantage in the American League West, the team can likely go without the 25-year-old slugger for 40-to-50 games and still hold a sizeable lead.

The longer the team waits to perform the surgery, if needed, the closer that puts Álvarez's return to mid-September/early-October.

Álvarez, a fourth year pro, is hitting .306 with 26 home runs, 60 RBIs and 56 runs scored in 75 games. He leads all of baseball in slugging percentage, .653, and OPS, 1.058.