Yordan Alvarez completed one of the most decorated seasons in Houston Astros history Thursday night, winning the 2026 American League Most Valuable Player Award by unanimous vote.
Alvarez received all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America for the maximum 420 points. Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero finished second with 267 points, while Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. placed third with 188.
The award is the first MVP of Alvarez’s career. He joins Jeff Bagwell, the unanimous National League winner in 1994, and José Altuve, the 2017 AL winner, as the only Astros to capture the honor.
A Dominant Offensive Season
Alvarez won his first AL batting title with a .316 average and led the league in on-base percentage (.432), slugging percentage (.601), OPS (1.033), offensive WAR (7.2), total bases (341), walks (109), and extra-base hits (77).
He also established career highs with 42 home runs and 106 RBIs, finishing tied for second in the AL in homers and second in RBIs. Alvarez led all major-league hitters in average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, becoming the first player since Aaron Judge in 2025 to lead MLB in all three categories.
His 33 intentional walks broke Bagwell’s Astros record of 27, set in 1997. Only Judge, who drew 36 intentional walks in 2025, has recorded more in an AL season.
Alvarez is the third player since 1970 to win the AL batting title while hitting at least 40 home runs, joining Judge and Miguel Cabrera. He is also only the second player primarily used as a designated hitter to win an MVP, following Shohei Ohtani.
From Injury-Plagued Season to Unanimous MVP
The award completes a remarkable comeback after Alvarez was limited to 48 games in 2025. A fractured bone in his right hand kept him out for 100 games, and a left ankle sprain ended his season shortly after his return.
Healthy again in 2026, Alvarez produced from the opening month. He was named AL Player of the Month for March and April after posting a 1.199 OPS with 12 home runs and 27 RBIs through Houston’s first 32 games. He won the honor again in July.
Alvarez delivered several of the Astros’ defining offensive performances. He hit a two-run homer and a grand slam during the first inning June 12 in Kansas City, setting a franchise record with six RBIs in one inning. On July 4 at Daikin Park, he hit two home runs, including a two-run walk-off shot against the eventual AL champion Rays.
An Extraordinary Awards Haul
The MVP is the fifth major honor Alvarez collected this week. He also received the AL Hank Aaron Award, Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, and AL Comeback Player of the Year Award and was selected as the designated hitter on the All-MLB First Team.
Alvarez is the 14th unanimous AL MVP and the fourth Cuban-born player to win the award. He is the first Cuban winner since former White Sox first baseman José Abreu in 2020. Isaac Paredes also appeared on two MVP ballots, receiving two 10th-place votes and finishing with two points.
