The Houston Astros have clinched the American League West division for the fourth consecutive season and the seventh time in the last eight years. While Houston closes out the regular season and prepares for the playoffs, the team is dealing with a significant loss. Astros’ All-Star Yordan Alvarez suffered a right knee contusion sliding into second in a game against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. He’s been unable to resume baseball activities since the injury.

On Wednesday, Astros manager Joe Espada confirmed that Alvarez’s regular season is over, according to MLB insider Francys Romero on X.

Despite reporting some progress in the days following the injury, Alvarez won’t have the opportunity to fine-tune his swing in Houston’s regular season-ending three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians.

The Astros need Yordan Alvarez healthy for the playoffs

Alvarez will not travel with the team to Cleveland, remaining in Houston rehabbing his worrisome knee that has impacted his mobility as the designated hitter attempts to get ready in time for the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Astros will enter the postseason as the number three seed, meaning the team will not receive a bye as they’ll host the sixth seed in the Wild Card series.

Alvarez is a hugely important part of the Astros’ lineup. Houston relies on his power behind table-setters Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman. While the team is likely talented enough to take the Wild Card series with Alvarez on the shelf, the Astros will need him if they hope to advance any further in the postseason.

Alvarez was selected to his third career All-Star game this season. He has 34 doubles, 35 home runs, 86 RBI and 88 runs scored with a .959 OPS and an OPS+ of 171. He put up 5.3 bWAR in 147 games for the Astros this season.

The six-year veteran missed several games in August with neck pain but was able to rebound from that injury. Alvarez played a major role in the Astros recovering from a double digit deficit to the Seattle Mariners to come back and win the division. Now the team hopes the slugger can overcome his knee ailment in time for the first round of the playoffs next week.