Mariners fans suddenly breathing a huge sigh of relief before final Astros showdown

Seattle Mariners fans are breathing a collective sigh of relief today, as Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez is going to miss the upcoming series between the two clubs at Daikin Park this weekend.

There's no secret this series is big. The Mariners lead the AL West, and are inching closer and closer to their first division title since 2001. The Astros are just 0.5 games behind them, and looking to recapture the title that has been theirs since 2021. It is sure to be a heated showdown, with the Mariners still looking for revenge after their defeat in 2022 playoffs.

The Mariners won't miss facing Yordan Alvarez this weekend

A big part of that playoff defeat was Alvarez. He tormented the Mariners in Game 1 with his walk-off three-run home run, and he has dominated the Mariners ever since.

In 62 games against the Mariners, Alvarez has a .312 batting average, 58 RBI, 15 home runs, 17 doubles, and 37 runs scored. He has a career .989 OPS against Seattle, making him one of the most punishing opposing hitters they have ever had to face.

That's why Mariners fans must be breathing a sigh of relief to find out Alvarez has a "significant" left ankle sprain, as Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported on Tuesday. It seems unlikely that he'll be back before the regular season concludes on September 28.

Of course, no fans are rooting for a player to get injured. However, it's a common aspect of the game that every team has to deal with. The Mariners lost George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Victor Robles, Ryan Bliss, and Bryce Miller to significant injuries earlier this year. Seattle overcame those, and put themselves in a position to make the playoffs. Houston has also had to overcome significant injuries, and it looks like they'll now have to overcome another one.

Alvarez had been red-hot since coming off the injured list on August 26th. In his last 19 games, he was slashing .369/.462/.569 for a 1.031 OPS. He had scored 10 runs and driven in nine during that stretch. It's fair to say the loss of Alvarez is a huge one for Houston, which is just 11-9 in its last 20 games.

It looks like the Mariners have caught a break, now they just need to take advantage.