Yordan Ruben Álvarez (born June 27, 1997) is a
Cuban
Cuban may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Cuba, a country in the Caribbean
* Cubans, people from Cuba, or of Cuban descent
** Cuban exile, a person who left Cuba for political reasons, or a descendant thereof
* Cuban citizen, a perso ...
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professional ...
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
and
left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the numbering system ...
for the
Houston Astros of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2019 for the Astros. Nicknamed "Air Yordan", Álvarez stands , weighs , bats left-hand and throws right-handed.
Prior to his American career, Álvarez played two seasons in the
Cuban National Series
The Cuban National Series (, SNB) is the primary domestic professional baseball competition in Cuba. Formed after the dissolution of the Cuban League in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, the Series is a part of the Cuban baseball league system. ...
for
Las Tunas. He
defected
In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state in exchange for allegiance to another, changing sides in a way which is considered illegitimate by the first state. More broadly, defection involves abandoning a person, ca ...
from
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
in 2016 to establish
residency
Residency may refer to:
* Domicile (law), the act of establishing or maintaining a residence in a given place
** Permanent residency, indefinite residence within a country despite not having citizenship
* Residency (medicine), a stage of postgra ...
in
Haiti, where he first signed with the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
as an international
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
. Houston acquired him via trade from the Dodgers in 2016 before he made his professional debut. In 2019, he was unanimously named
American League (AL) Rookie of the Year after posting the highest
slugging percentage (.655) by a qualified rookie in history.
After missing all but two games of the abbreviated
2020 season due to injury, Álvarez was named the
2021 American League Championship Series MVP, having posted an ALCS-record .522
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
, and becoming the first player in MLB history to out-hit his entire opposing team over the final two games of a
playoff
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
series. In the
2022 Major League Baseball postseason, Alvarez won his first World Series. In thirteen games played for the
2022 World Series
The 2022 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2022 season. The 118th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Houston Astros and the National Le ...
champion Astros, he hit three home runs, with each of them being go-ahead home runs in victories, with two home runs in the ALDS and one in the World Series. In Game 6, he hit a towering 450-foot home run to center field to help deliver three runs in a 4-1 victory to clinch the championship.
Professional career
Cuban National Series
Yordan Álvarez played two seasons in the
Cuban National Series
The Cuban National Series (, SNB) is the primary domestic professional baseball competition in Cuba. Formed after the dissolution of the Cuban League in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, the Series is a part of the Cuban baseball league system. ...
(CNS) for the
Leñadores de Las Tunas. In his second season,
2014–15, he
batted .351, ranking second on the Leñadores, and hit one
double
A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another.
Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to:
Film and television
* Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character
* ...
and one
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
over 40 games and 125
plate appearances.
Defection from Cuba
Álvarez defected from
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, then established residency in
Haiti in 2016. While in Haiti, he met future
Houston Astros teammate
Yuli Gurriel
Yulieski Gourriel Castillo (born June 9, 1984), commonly known as Yuli Gurriel and nicknamed "La Piña", is a Cuban professional baseball first baseman who is a free agent. He previously played for Sancti Spiritus in the Cuban National Serie ...
and his brother,
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Lourdes Yunielki Gurriel Castillo Jr. (born October 10, 1993) is a Cuban professional baseball left fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays where he debuted ...
, also a future major leaguer, and fellow Cubans. Álvarez then travelled to
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent Palm Beach, which is situated on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lagoon. The populati ...
, where the Astros were building their spring training site,
The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches
The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches is a baseball park located in West Palm Beach, Florida. The stadium has a capacity of 6,500 people in fixed seats with room for 1,000 more on the outfield berm. The stadium hosts the Houston Astros and Washington ...
. He befriended Astros
scout Charlie Gonzalez, who lobbied for club officials to sign Álvarez. The club declined, however, having already incurred signing penalties from Gurriel's five-year, $47.5 million contract.
Álvarez signed with the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
as an international
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
in June 2016 for $2 million.
[
]
Minor leagues
In August 2016, the Dodgers, in need of relief pitching
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as inclement weather d ...
, traded Álvarez to the Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
for Josh Fields, before he played a single game in the minors.[ Dodgers President of Baseball Operations ]Andrew Friedman
Andrew Friedman is an American baseball executive. He is currently the President of Baseball Operations of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously served as the general manager for MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays, where '' ...
later acknowledged that trading Álvarez was "a mistake" and admitted "I obviously wish I would have said yes to other names he Astrosasked for before him." (Friedman first believed that they wanted pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
Yadier Álvarez).
Álvarez made his professional debut in 2016 with the Dominican Summer League Astros, where he spent the rest of year, batting .341 with a .974 OPS in 16 games.
Álvarez started 2017 with the Quad Cities River Bandits
The Quad Cities River Bandits are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Their home games are played at Modern Woodmen Park (formerly John O'Donnell Stadium) in Davenport, Iowa, o ...
and was promoted to the Buies Creek Astros
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and play their home games at Segra Stadium. From 2017 to ...
during the season. In 90 total games between the River Bandits and Astros, he batted .304/.379/.481 with 12 home runs and 69 RBIs in 335 at bats. He played in the 2017 All-Star Futures Game.
Álvarez was ranked among the top prospects in the minor leagues prior to the 2018 season. He started the 2018 season playing with the Corpus Christi Hooks
The Corpus Christi Hooks are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Corpus Christi, Texas, and are named for the city's association with fishing. The team is owned by ...
of the Class AA Texas League
The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...
. Despite being a right-handed thrower, Alvarez was incorrectly listed as a left-handed thrower by many websites prior to 2018 spring training. He split the 2018 season between Corpus Christi and the Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They are located in Fresno, California, and play their home games at Chukchansi Park, which was opened in 2002 in d ...
of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, hitting a combined .293/.369/.534/.904 with 63 runs, 20 home runs and 74 RBIs in 335 at bats.
Álvarez opened the 2019 season with the Round Rock Express
The Round Rock Express are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. They are located in Round Rock, Texas, and play their home games at the Dell Diamond. The team is named ...
of the Pacific Coast League. Prior to his first major league call-up, Álvarez batted .343/.443/.742 with 50 runs, 38 walks, 23 home runs, 71 RBIs, and an on-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging (OPS) is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player both to get on base and to hit for power, two important offensive skills, are ...
percentage (OPS) of 1.185 in 213 at bats with Round Rock. He was leading the minor leagues in home runs, RBI and total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases is the number of bases a player gains with hits. It is a weighted sum with values of 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run. For example, three singles is three total bases, whil ...
(158), and was the Astros' #3 prospect and MLB.com's #23 overall prospect.
Houston Astros
2019
On June 9, 2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, the Astros selected Álvarez' contract and promoted him to make his major league debut that afternoon versus the Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...
.[ He went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in his debut. The following game, Álvarez again homered, this time versus Matt Albers of the Milwaukee Brewers. He became the first Astro to homer in both of his first two games. Álvarez became the fourth player in ]Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) history to hit four home runs in his first five career games when he homered off of Clayton Richard
Clayton Colby Richard (born September 12, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, and Toronto Blue Jays.
High school
Richard w ...
of the Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
, joining Trevor Story
Trevor John Story (born November 15, 1992) is an American professional baseball second baseman and shortstop for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Colorado Rockies. He made his MLB debut ...
, Yasiel Puig and Mike Jacobs. On June 23, Álvarez hit a 2-run home run for his 7th home run of the season in only 12 games, establishing an Astros franchise record. He also became the first player in MLB
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
history to drive in 16 runs in his first 12 games. He won the American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
(AL) Rookie of the Month Award for both June and July – the first Astro to do so – after garnering 48 hits, batting .336, 13 doubles, 13 homers and 39 RBI, .699 slugging, and 1.120 OPS. He also led MLB with a 1.120 OPS since his debut, and was second in the AL with a .421 OBP, fourth in SLG, sixth in RBI, and seventh in average. Thus, he emerged as a leading contender for AL Rookie of the Year honors despite his late start to the season.
On August 10, Álvarez hit a grand slam
Grand Slam most often refers to:
* Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves
Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to:
Games and sports
* Grand slam, winning category te ...
and homered twice more at Camden Yards
The Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a baseball stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home field of Major League Baseball's Baltimore Orioles, and the first of the "retro" major league ballparks constructed during the 1990s and early ...
for his first three-home run game in a 23–2 romp over the Orioles. With a career-high seven runs driven in, his total stood at 51 to establish the major league record for the first 45 games. The 23 runs accounted for a franchise record for runs scored in one game. In a homestand at Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 as the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Houston Astros. It has a seating capacity of 41,168, which includes 5,197 club seats and 63 ...
, Álvarez drove in six runs on three doubles in 21–1 outburst over the Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...
on September 8. The following day, he hit home run numbers 23 and 24 in 15–0 win versus the Oakland Athletics to break Carlos Correa
Carlos Javier Correa Oppenheimer Jr. (born September 22, 1994) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball shortstop who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, who selected him first overall in th ...
's franchise record for rookies, set in 2015.
In 2019, Álvarez batted .313/.412/.655 with 27 home runs and 75 RBIs in 313 at bats, and was the ninth-youngest ballplayer in the AL. The unanimous winner of the AL Rookie of the Year Award, Álvarez' .655 slugging percentage (SLG) and 1.067 on-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging (OPS) is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player both to get on base and to hit for power, two important offensive skills, are ...
percentage (OPS) were both the highest in history for a qualified rookie, exceeding Shoeless Joe Jackson
Joseph Jefferson Jackson (July 16, 1887 – December 5, 1951), nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American outfielder who played Major League Baseball (MLB) in the early 1900s. Although his .356 career batting average is the fourth highest ...
's 1.058 OPS during his 1911 rookie campaign (minimum 350 plate appearances). Álvarez also led AL rookies in on-base percentage (OBP, .412) and extra base hit
In baseball, an extra-base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire ano ...
s (53), and was second in HR and RBI. Likewise, the Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...
chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) is a professional association for journalists writing about Major League Baseball for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying websites. The organization was founded in 1908, and is known ...
(BBWAA) voted Álvarez as the Astros' Rookie of the Year.
Going into World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
play versus the Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
, Álvarez had endured a 1–22 performance versus the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
in his first American League Championship Series (ALCS). In Game 5 of the World Series, he hit a two-run home run off Joe Ross a 7–1 Houston victory. It was Álvarez' first career home run in both World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
and postseason
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
play, and first home run since September 21.
2020
Álvarez sat out the beginning of the 2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
season after having tested positive for COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...
. He returned in August and played just two games before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on both of his knees, shutting him down for the rest of the season.
2021
On May 7, 2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
, Álvarez drove in his 100th run, doing so in his 114th career game as part of a 10–4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
. He was the seventh-fastest player to reach 100 RBIs in league history and the fastest to do so since the expansion era started in 1961. The next game, he homered and drove in three more in an 8–4 loss to the Blue Jays for 103 RBIs in 115 games.
Álvarez hit his 30th home run of the season on September 13; at the age of 24, he was the second Astro to hit 30 home runs in a season at that age after Alex Bregman, who hit 31 in 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...
. On September 22, Álvarez drove in two runs on a home run in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team h ...
to score his 100th RBI of the season. He was the second-youngest Astro to reach 100 RBIs in one season, trailing César Cedeño
César Cedeño Encarnación (born February 25, 1951) is a Dominican former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a center fielder from 1970 to 1986, most prominently as a member of the Houston Astros where ...
, who did so at the age of 23 in 1974.
On the 2021 season, he batted .277/.346/.531 and led the Astros in home runs (33), RBIs (104), and strikeouts (145) and tied for the team lead in double plays grounded into (GIDP, 16) in 537 at bats. He was named All-MLB Team Second Team at DH, his second career selection.
In Game 5 of the ALCS, the Astros faced Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...
pitcher Chris Sale
Christopher Allen Sale (born March 30, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Chicago White Sox, with whom he made his major league debut ...
at Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home of the Boston Red Sox, the city's American League baseball team, and since 1953, its only Major League Bas ...
in a 9–1 win. Álvarez logged three hits and three RBIs versus the left-handed ace
An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the c ...
, all to the opposite field, including one home run that cleared the Green Monster
The Green Monster is a popular nickname for the left field wall at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. The wall is from home plate and is a popular target for right-handed hitters.
Overview
The wall was part ...
. This marked the first occasion in Álvarez' career in which he had collected that many opposite-field hits, and first time facing Sale; meanwhile Sale had allowed four total hits to left-handed batters over his innings in 2021. The last left-handed batter to realize three hits in one game versus Sale was David Ortiz on July 30, 2015. In Game 6, Álvarez collected four hits–including two doubles and one triple–as Houston prevailed, 5–0, the decisive game of the ALCS. He hit .522, with a 1.408 OPS, three doubles, one triple, one home run, six RBIs, and seven runs scored. His .522 average set a record for ALCS play, eclipsing Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Edmund Youkilis (; born March 15, 1979), nicknamed "Youk" , is an American former professional baseball first baseman and third baseman, who primarily played for the Boston Red Sox. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, he was drafted by the Red S ...
' .500 average hit in 2007. Álvarez was named ALCS Most Valuable Player (MVP), becoming the fourth Cuban-born player and the first designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
since Ortiz to win the award. Álvarez did not carry his success into the World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
, in which he went 2-for-20 as the Astros lost to the Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bos ...
in six games.[
]
2022
In a 6–1 win versus Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
at Nationals Park
Nationals Park is a baseball stadium along the Anacostia River in the Navy Yard neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Home to Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals since its completion in 2008, it was the first LEED-certified green major profe ...
on May 13, 2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeypo ...
, Álvarez hit his 11th home run, helping to extend an Astros' winning streak to 11 games. As it was his 27th appearance of the season, the home run established a new career best for fewest games to reach the total, surpassing 11 home runs in 30 games during his 2019 rookie season. On June 2, 2022, Álvarez signed a six-year contract extension with the Astros worth $115 million; the deal bought out three remaining free-agent years that would keep him on the team until the 2028 season. In the week ending June 5, he batted .565/.630/1.217 with two walks, four home runs, eight RBI, and one strikeout in six games. He was named AL Player of the Week for the first time on June 6. On June 29, Álvarez left the game versus the New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
. He was carted off the field following an outfield collision with shortstop Jeremy Peña
Jeremy Joan Peña (born September 22, 1997) is a Dominican-American professional baseball shortstop for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He attended the University of Maine and played college baseball for the Black Bears. The ...
, both of whom were running for a Dominic Smith fly ball.
Álvarez won the AL Player of the Month Award for June, his first. Over 23 games, he batted .418/.510/.835/1.346, garnering four doubles, one triple
Triple is used in several contexts to mean "threefold" or a " treble":
Sports
* Triple (baseball), a three-base hit
* A basketball three-point field goal
* A figure skating jump with three rotations
* In bowling terms, three strikes in a row
* ...
, nine home runs, and 28 RBI. He led the league in batting, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS and RBI, and ranked fourth the in the AL in home runs. He posted an equal number of bases on balls and strikeouts (13). Álvarez returned to play as DH versus Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
after missing two games due to the collision with Peña, going 0-for-4 with a walk. He hit his first career walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. For a home run to end the game, it must be hit in the bottom of the final inning of the game and generate enough runs to exceed the opponent's score. Because the opponent will no ...
versus the Kansas City Royals on July 4, securing a 7–6 win. On July 5, he hit his 25th home run and turned his first career double play, first catching a Nicky Lopez
Nicholas Lopez (born March 13, 1995) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the fifth round of the 2016 MLB draft, and made his MLB d ...
fly ball. Álvarez then rifled the ball to Martín Maldonado at home plate on a carom, who tagged out Hunter Dozier
Hunter William Dozier (born August 22, 1991) is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Royals selected Dozier eighth overall in the first round of the 2013 MLB draft after h ...
.
MLB announced Álvarez' selection on July 10 to the MLB All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National ...
at Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium is a baseball stadium in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers. Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a cost of ...
as a reserve DH, his first career selection. He was leading the major leagues in OPS (1.058) and third in home runs (26) at the time. The same day, however, the Astros placed him on the 10-day injured list due to right hand inflammation, ruling him out for the All-Star Game. On July 21, the Astros activated Álvarez. Álvarez hit his 30th home run on July 29 versus the Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...
to establish a team record for reaching the mark in the fewest appearances, doing so in his 84th game of the season. On July 31, he delivered a walk-off RBI single in the tenth inning versus the Mariners to score José Altuve
José Carlos Altuve (; born May 6, 1990) is a Venezuelan professional baseball second baseman for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Astros signed Altuve as an amateur free agent in 2007, and he made his major league debut ...
(3−2).
Over 77 August at bats, Álvarez produced a slugging percentage of .312. Inflammation of the left hand kept Álvarez sidelined for five consecutive games until returning to the lineup on September 4. He reached base four times versus the Angels on September 11, including his first home run in 88 plate appearances. On September 16, Álvarez led the Astros to a 5–0 victory over the Oakland A's
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
with a 4-hit performance, including three home runs in consecutive at bats off starter Adrián Martínez. One each was hit in the first, third and fifth innings versus Martínez, making Álvarez the first Astro to hit three off one pitcher in the same game. The 15th such game in franchise history, he became the third Astro to have hit two or more 3-HR games and first since Jeff Bagwell
Jeffrey Robert Bagwell (born May 27, 1968) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and coach who spent his entire 15-year Major League Baseball (MLB) playing career with the Houston Astros.
Originally a Boston Red Sox fourth- ...
(two in 1999
File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shoot ...
—3 total) and Glenn Davis (2). The win also clinched a playoff
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
berth for the Astros for a sixth consecutive season. Álvarez earned the AL Player of the Week Award for the week ended September 18. He totaled a .520 average (13-for-25), .556 OBP, 1.280 slugging percentage, 10 runs scored, 10 RBI, four doubles and five home runs.
In 2022, he batted .306/.406/.613, setting career-highs in home runs (37), runs scored (95) and bases on balls (78), and his slash line established career-bests. In left field, Álvarez played a career-high 56 games, ranking second in the AL at his position in assists (7).[ He produced a 187 adjusted OPS+, the second-highest in club history in a qualified season, trailing Bagwell's 213 OPS+ in the ]strike
Strike may refer to:
People
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Physical confrontation or removal
*Strike (attack), attack with an inanimate object or a part of the human body intended to cause harm
*Airstrike, military strike by air forces on either a suspected ...
-shortened 1994
File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which sank in the Baltic Sea; Nelson ...
season. Following the regular season, the Houston chapter of the BBWAA recognized Álvarez as the Astros' team Most Valuable Player (MVP). He was one of seven nominees for the AL Hank Aaron Award.
On three occasions during the Astros' 2022 postseason run, Álvarez hit a home run in the sixth inning or later while his team was trailing that gave them the lead. No other player had previously hit such a home run during postseason play more than once. In Game 1 of the Division Series
The Division Series is the quarterfinal round of the Major League Baseball playoffs. Four series are played in this round, two each for both the American League and the National League.
1981 season
The first use of the term "Division Series" date ...
, Álvarez hit a three-run walk-off home run for an 8–7 triumph over the Mariners, the final of his three hits and five RBIs that day. It was the first walk-off home run in an MLB postseason contest with the home team down to their final out in the ninth inning and trailing by more than one run, With the Astros trailing 4–0 in the third inning, Álvarez doubled home two runs, and, in the fourth inning, rifled a throw home to home plate that put out Ty France
Tyler Lawrence France (born July 13, 1994) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the San Diego Padres.
Amateur career
France attended South Hills Hig ...
and prevented a run from scoring. Offensively, Álvarez' 1.054 win probability added
Win probability added (WPA) is a sport statistic which attempts to measure a player's contribution to a win by figuring the factor by which each specific play made by that player has altered the outcome of a game. It is used for baseball and Americ ...
(WPA, 105.4f%) surpassed David Freese
David Richard Freese (born April 28, 1983) is an American former professional baseball Infielder, infielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). He began his MLB career with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he was a key player during the 2011 Major Leag ...
's 2011 World Series
The 2011 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2011 season. The 107th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Texas Rangers and the Natio ...
walk-off home run game for highest ever in an MLB postseason contest. Two days later, he hit a home run in the sixth inning to turn a 2–1 deficit into a 3–2 lead, which helped the Astros in a 4–2 victory as Alvarez became the second player with go-ahead home runs in the 6th inning or later of consecutive postseason games. Alvarez did not hit another home run for the rest of the series or the ALCS. In the ALCS, the Astros won in four games, with Alvarez batting .214 with one RBI. In the World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
, he was kept off the basepaths for the most part, batting .130. However, he had an RBI in each of the four Astro victories. He had an RBI double to make it 2-0 in Game 2, was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in Game 4, and hit a groundball to first to drive a runner home from third in Game 5. In the sixth inning of Game 6, with two runners on, he hit a 450-foot home run (his first in 23 days) to center field to make it a 3-1 game. The Astros won the game 4-1 to win their second World Series title in franchise history.
Personal life
Álvarez's parents are Agustín Eduardo Álvarez Salazar and Mailyn Cadogan Reyes. He also has a brother, Yonder Álvarez Cadogan. It was during a contest at Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 as the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Houston Astros. It has a seating capacity of 41,168, which includes 5,197 club seats and 63 ...
versus the Minnesota Twins on August 23, 2022, that his family first saw him play professionally since leaving Cuba.
Álvarez is Afro-Cuban
Afro-Cubans or Black Cubans are Cubans of West African ancestry. The term ''Afro-Cuban'' can also refer to historical or cultural elements in Cuba thought to emanate from this community and the combining of native African and other cultural el ...
.
Awards
See also
* Houston Astros award winners and league leaders This is a list of award winners and league leaders for the Houston Astros, an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL), having moved to the ...
* List of baseball players who defected from Cuba
This is a list of notable Cuban baseball players who have defected since the beginning of Fidel Castro's presidency. Prior to the Cuban Revolution, which saw Castro rise to power in 1959, Cuban-born players often played in the American Negro lea ...
* List of Major League Baseball players from Cuba
References
;Footnotes
;Sources
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Álvarez, Yordan
1997 births
Living people
People from Las Tunas (city)
Defecting Cuban baseball players
Major League Baseball players from Cuba
Cuban expatriate baseball players in the United States
Major League Baseball outfielders
Houston Astros players
Afro-Cuban
American League All-Stars
American League Championship Series MVPs
Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award winners
Silver Slugger Award winners
Leñadores de Las Tunas players
Dominican Summer League Astros players
Cuban expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic
Quad Cities River Bandits players
Buies Creek Astros players
Corpus Christi Hooks players
Fresno Grizzlies players
Round Rock Express players
Mesa Solar Sox players