ST. PETERSBURG -- Astros slugger is back in the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Rays.

Alvarez, who was dealing with a sore right ankle, was out of the lineup for the second consecutive game Saturday, when Houston dropped a 3-2 contest to the Rays at Tropicana Field.

He batted second and served as the designated hitter as the Astros looked to stave off a sweep on Sunday.

Alvarez, who entered Sunday leading the American League in batting average (.310) while ranking second in homers (38) and RBIs (96) in his pursuit of the Triple Crown, hit in the batting cages on Friday and Saturday, but was still feeling pain in the ankle while hitting.

Alvarez stepped awkwardly on third base while going from first to third on a double by Jose Altuve in the eighth inning Thursday, but he waved off a visit from a team athletic trainer. His presence was missed Friday, as the Astros were held to eight singles and one double and were 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

Friday marked the first time since June 27 that Alvarez wasn’t in the Astros’ starting lineup, meaning he’d started 62 consecutive games. Astros manager Joe Espada admitted a day off might not be a bad thing for Alvarez, who has played in 145 games, which is two shy of his career high set in 2024. He has already set a career high with 637 plate appearances, which is two more than his previous high in ’24.

“We want him in there, and he feels strong and he feels really good, but a day [off] like today, especially on this turf, will be beneficial for him,” Espada said. 

Since winning AL Player of the Month for July (he also won it for March/April), Alvarez’s production has plummeted. He’s slashing .268/.399/.433 with only three homers since Aug. 1, which has led him to be passed for the AL lead in homers by Junior Caminero (40) and in RBIs by Baltimore’s Pete Alonso (97).

Still, Alvarez remains a major force in Houston's lineup. He leads the Major Leagues in OPS (1.017), slugging percentage (.590), on-base percentage (.427) and intentional walks (32), which is a club record. 

Last year, Alvarez missed 100 games recovering from a broken bone in his right hand. The Astros were pushing for a playoff spot when Alvarez returned in late August and slashed .369/.462/.569 with three homers and nine RBIs in 19 games before spraining his left ankle when he slipped on home plate Sept. 15 against the Rangers. Houston missed out on the playoffs by one game in 2025.