"Next thing I know he’s already over there hitting" - Astros' Yordan Alvarez opens up on settling into hitting behind Jose Altuve

Yordan Alvarez contributed significantly to the Houston Astros’ 8-0 triumph over the Blue Jays on Wednesday. This should ease their pain following the New York Yankees’ clean sweep. Alvarez had two home run blasts from the plate, resulting in three RBIs.

Alvarez has never hit higher than third in his MLB career. However, manager Joe Espada decided to move him up the batting order and get more plate appearances from the slugger.

Alvarez follows one of the quickest hitters in the league, Jose Altuve, who only averages 3.46 pitches per plate appearance, higher than all active major leaguers. This often puts Alvarez in a hasty situation before his turn.

“For me, it’s basically about noticing where (Altuve) is and making sure I know where he is at all times,” Alvarez said, via The Athletic.

“Sometimes he’s sitting next to me and the next thing I know he’s already over there hitting, so I need to rush and get ready. But as long as I know where Altuve is, I think I’ll be OK.”

Yordan Alvarez’s good swings set the mood of the team’s performances

Joe Espada expressed his optimism about Yordan Alvarez, saying it was only a matter of time before the All-Star regained his old form. Espada also believes that whenever Alvarez had a good swing, it boosted the mood and performance of the rest of the entire clubhouse.

“It was a matter of time, but any time he can put some good swings like that and hit some balls hard, it’s a good sign,” Espada said.

“That’s exactly what we needed, especially doing it with people on base. I think it’s contagious. It spread throughout the lineup the whole entire night.”

Last year, Alvarez slashed .293/.407/.583 in 114 games. He had his second-best career high of 97 RBIs, along with 31 home runs.

When it hit October, the Texas Rangers ousted the Houston Astros at the ALCS.

Yordan Alvarez played 14 spring training games, recording eight RBIs and one home run with a .343 batting average this preseason.

Initially, Yordan Alvarez struggled with only three hits in 24 at-bats during the early games. However, the last game's outcome against the Blue Jays has given fans hope of seeing their star player back on track.