Yankees vs. Astros Thursday MLB injury report, odds: Yordan Alvarez back for Houston to start second half, Michael Brantley still not fully healthy

Major League Baseball kicks off its second half in style Thursday with a potential ALCS preview between the Yankees and Astros in Houston – they are playing a day/night doubleheader as a makeup for their postponed series the original first week of the season, which was rescheduled because of the lockout. The Astros are expecting All-Star Yordan Alvarez back from injury, but fellow outfielder Michael Brantley will remain out.

If these two teams play again after Thursday, it will be in the American League playoffs and that's quite likely, as the Yankees have a 13-game lead atop the AL East and the Astros are up nine in the AL West. Really the only question is whether Houston (59-32) can catch New York (64-28) for the top seed in the playoffs. DraftKings offers a prop on which team finishes with the best record in the majors, and the Yankees are +115 followed by the Dodgers (60-30) at +180, and then Houston at +400.

The Astros certainly have it easier than the Yankees with so many games remaining inside the AL West compared to New York's remaining slate inside the AL East, where every team is at least .500. Houston is 3-2 vs. the Bombers this season.

Alvarez hasn't played since July 9 due to a hand injury, but general manager James Click said he expects him to be activated from the injured list ahead of Thursday's doubleheader. Alvarez was off to an MVP-type start before he got hurt. He leads the Astros in batting average (.306), homers (26), hits (82) and OPB (.405). Kyle Tucker has passed him in RBI with 62 to Alvarez's 60. Brantley (.288, 5 HR, 26 RBIs) has been out since June 26 with a right shoulder issue and apparently still isn't all that close to returning.

Managers tend to take their time naming starting pitchers right out of the All-Star break, and Aaron Boone hasn't indicated yet who will start in either game. Jameson Taillon (9-2, 3.02 ERA) seems likely for one of them as he would be on normal rest. Lefty Jordan Montgomery (1-2, 3.19) would be on an extra day of rest if he were to start.  

It apparently will be Cristian Javier (6-5, 3.22) in Game 1 for Houston and Luis Garcia (7-5, 3.65) in Game 2. Garcia won at home vs. the Yankees on June 30, allowing one run over 5.1 innings. Javier threw seven innings at Yankee Stadium with 13 strikeouts, providing the bulk of the work in Houston's combined no-hitter on June 25.

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