Astros' Alvarez set for MRI after injury at plate

HOUSTON -- Astros All-Star left fielder Yordan Alvarez left Monday night's 6-3 win against the Texas Rangers because of a sprained left ankle that he hurt while crossing home plate and will undergo an MRI on Tuesday.

"It did not look good out on the field," Astros manager Joe Espada said.

Through a team spokesman Alvarez declined to speak to reporters after the game until he knew more about the nature of his injury, but he was seen leaving the Astros clubhouse on a crutch and with a boot on his left foot.

Alvarez appeared to slip as he crossed the plate in the first inning, scoring from first base on a throwing error by Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter on Carlos Correa's infield single. Alvarez was tended to by an athletic trainer outside the Astros' dugout and then helped down the steps.

Zachary Cole entered the game in right field in the second inning, with Jesus Sanchez moving to left. Cole homered and drove in three runs after replacing the injured Alvarez.

The team announced the injury a couple of innings after Alvarez left the game.

"I saw him coming around, and when he stepped on home plate, I had a front-row seat," Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena said. "His ankle kind of twisted, then when he went to plant again, I saw it twist again. It's not pretty. You don't want to see that."

Alvarez entered Monday's game batting .273 with six home runs and 27 RBIs but has been limited to 47 games because of a fractured right hand that forced him to sit out 101 games.

Houston pulled within a half-game of the streaking Seattle Mariners atop the AL West and moved three games ahead of Cleveland and Texas for the final American League wild card.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.