Astros' Yordan Alvarez: Facing longer than 10-day absence

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Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday that a timeline for Alvarez's (oblique) return from the 10-day injured list is "still up in the air a little bit," Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. "It will take a week at least to get a feel for how long it's going to be," Brown said, referring to the length of Alvarez's absence.

Oblique injuries are notorious for carrying volatile recovery timelines, so it's no surprise that Brown already seems to be discounting the possibility of Alvarez returning from the IL when first eligible June 19. On a positive note, Alvarez's injury has been described as right oblique discomfort rather than a strain, though it's possible that his diagnosis could change if he's sent in for further tests in the coming days. While Alvarez is out, the red-hot Mauricio Dubon could gain traction in an everyday role in left field, which would leave Corey Julks and Chas McCormick to jockey for playing time at designated hitter.