The Houston Astros have one goal in mind for the 2026 campaign, and that’s to get back to the playoffs. After a season that led the Astros to 87 wins, players and coaches have reset and locked in this spring to ensure they come out of the gates firing on all cylinders.

So far this spring, Houston hasn’t played well, losing more games than it has won. But that isn’t a reason that anyone should be upset or worried, as manager Joe Espada has been rotating younger players in and out of the lineup to see what they’ve got.

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Yordan Alvarez, a familiar face for Astros fans, has his 2026 spring training debut game confirmed, which should boost both the team’s record and morale.

Alvarez Makes His Spring Debut When?

According to MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart, Alvarez will make his spring training debut tomorrow against the Washington Nationals. Additionally, for that game, ace Hunter Brown will get the ball to begin the game, alongside Jake Meyers and Lucas Spence, who will be in the lineup tomorrow.

Alvarez’s 2025 season was filled with injuries, and the lack of presence in the lineup surely had an impact on the outcome of games for Houston down the stretch of 2025. When healthy, Alvarez is an MVP candidate at the plate, and one the Astros need to play almost every day if he’s capable.

Across 48 games last season, Alvarez collected 45 hits, six of which were home runs, eight were doubles, and he walked 28 times compared to 33 strikeouts. His power numbers were down at that point in the season, despite being known as a player who can hit 30 or more every campaign.

The offseason debate over Alvarez is whether the franchise should let him play left field or keep him strictly as a designated hitter. Espada plans on using him in both roles, but it would be more likely that Astros fans anticipate Alvarez to be slated as the DH.

Espada understands that Alvarez likes to go out to left field to feel more a part of the game, or after a bad at-bat, he can jog out and refocus on helping the team in a different area. While the Astros did just trade away Jesus Sanchez to the Toronto Blue Jays, it feels like Alvarez’s time in left will be limited.

Joey Loperfido, Meyers and Cam Smith are also players who could hold down the left field position with more speed and better reaction time than Alvarez.