Much has been made this week of the news that Yordan Alvarez, who was thought to be returning shortly from a hand injury, will remain out a while longer. Turns out, that swelling was hiding a fracture that is, according to the team, 60 percent healed.
After calling the fractured leg that kept Kyle Tucker out of much of 2024 a “contusion” before finally revealing it was actually a break, the Astros are short on trust among fans and media members alike when it comes to figuring out what is actually going on with players who are on the IL.
But, what exactly do teams owe fans or media when it comes to medical transparency?
Of course, the short answer is nothing. Dusty Baker is now infamous for citing HIPPA laws when discussing player injuries as if that were some sort of protective barrier. The Texans have been notorious about underplaying or being cagey about hurt players, no doubt part of GM Nick Casserio’s DNA having come from the most secretive team in all of sport, the New England Patriots.
And this is all fine. They certainly don’t have to say anything. There is no protocol in sports that says teams must provide extensive healthcare information to the general public or even make medical staff available for interviews. Some of that, despite Baker’s defenses, is very likely to protect doctor-patient confidentiality, but much of the rest is probably meant to provide some sort of perceived competitive advantage and cover for players and coaches being peppered with questions and recriminations.
Health is the great equalizer in sports. In football, in particular, seasons are often a war of attrition. But, for all sports, the team that makes it to the finish line healthiest often wins. Any team that has lost a key player on the cusp of a title will tell you. Ask the 2018 Rockets about Chris Paul’s hamstring.
So, it does make some sense that teams would keep this information pretty close to the vest. But, the Astros credibility on health matters currently is at an all-time low and while radical transparency isn’t (and certainly won’t be) the answer for the franchise, they might want to re-think their approach.
When James Click was still general manager, he admitted that the team rushed Jake Meyers back too quickly from his shoulder surgery. There were rumblings that the team may undergo an audit of sorts to examine their return to health protocols. Click was soon fired and all that seemed to get swept under the rug.
Now, after injuries to Tucker and Alvarez along with lingering concerns for players like Cristian Javier, who still isn’t pitching, Luis Garcia, who has had numerous setbacks two years removed from surgery, and Lance McCullers, Jr., who just made his return this season after being gone for more than two years, it is reasonable to ask whether or not the Astros really know what they are doing when it comes to dealing with injuries within the organization, whether it be diagnosis, rehab or even public disclosures.
No team wants to air dirty laundry, but if there truly are systemic problems, Jim Crane owes it to himself, nevermind all the onlookers, to get to the bottom of it. No team’s pitching staff has been ravaged by injuries over the last few years like the Astros, and we are living through an era where Tommy John surgeries appear about as common among pitchers as cavities are to normal humans.
The optics, regardless of the truth, are awful and damaging to the organization. Of course, they don’t owe any of us anything, but trust goes both ways. Keeping everyone in the dark is bound to lead to questions. It might be time to change directions and crack the window of transparency even slightly when it comes to players and their injuries.
