HOUSTON (KIAH) — Last week brought devastating news that Houston second baseman Jose Altuve would miss at least two months of the regular season after getting hit in the hand by a 96 mile per hour fastball while playing in the World Baseball Classic.

On Thursday, the Astros got some good news — and it happened before their very eyes.

Outfielder Yordan Alvarez reported to spring training last month with a sore hand.

That kept him out of games until yesterday when he saw his first live action of the spring.

Alvarez went 0-for-3 at the plate, but he hit the ball hard and also made a few plays while manning left field for six innings.

“It felt good to make contact early in the at-bats, and I felt like the swing was there,” Brian McTaggert of MLB.com reported Alvarez as saying.

The Astros open the regular season at home against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.

Whether or not Alvarez will be ready to play on Opening Day hasn’t been determined yet.