Astros' Yordan Alvarez could miss four weeks with oblique strain

Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez could miss at least four weeks with a right oblique strain.

General manager Dana Brown said Wednesday that Alvarez had an MRI, which confirmed the diagnosis.

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"That’s why we have confidence that he will be back some time in the four-plus week period because the MRI showed a strain," Brown said. "He’s coming through nicely. He feels pretty good. There’s no pain, there’s no pain when he coughs. Hopefully, that’s a good sign."

Brown called oblique injuries "tricky."

"After two weeks, we will have a little more information on how he feels," Brown said. "At the three-week mark, we should definitely know more. I hate to kick the can down the road, but at the end of the day, sometimes you have to give that oblique time. Sometimes it heals faster than others, and I think he’s going to be OK. It’s looking like it’s going to be four weeks, but I think he should be fine."

Alvarez, who is second in the majors with 55 RBIs, was placed on the 10-day injured list last Friday. He exited the game last Thursday against the Blue Jays after one at-bat.

Alvarez is hitting .277 with 17 home runs in 57 games this season after making his first All-Star team last season.

Reporting by The Associated Press.