Yordan Alvarez Is Chasing All Kinds of History

For an American League MVP discussion in 2026, Yordan Alvarez's name stands out above others such as Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The Houston Astros designated hitter's performance this season has left an indelible mark, prompting him to chase an even greater accomplishment than an MVP – a Triple Crown. A Triple Crown occurs when a batter leads his league in home runs, RBIs, and batting average.

Last year, this feat was achieved by Miguel Cabrera in 2012, with Mickey Mantle's 1956 season being the last time anyone led all of Major League Baseball in these three categories. Alvarez is on track to make history in 2026.

Since joining the Astros in 2019, Alvarez has maintained an incredible career OPS of .976, surpassing even Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. He has had a remarkable season in 2022 and continues to dominate in 2026. According to Baseball Savant, Alvarez's batting run value stands at a perfect 100, with 50 being considered league average.

On eight offensive metrics, he doesn't fall below a rating of 97. His impressive hitting ability is evident, as he has more home runs than games without a base hit as of August 14. Alvarez's skills are so impressive that opposing fielders struggle to anticipate his hits, which land all over the field at an MLB-leading exit velocity.

Leading the majors in batting average at .325, Alvarez is currently above Luis Arraez and Otto Lopez. However, Arraez's average has dropped since the trade to the Philadelphia Phillies, while Alvarez maintains a strong lead with 89 RBI, closely followed by Sal Stewart of the Cincinnati Reds. Home runs will be the biggest challenge for Alvarez, as he leads the league with 36 before Schwarber's two-homer night at the 2026 Field of Dreams Game.

This remarkable performance is a 1-in-100 event, making it clear that Yordan Alvarez is truly the best hitter in the sport right now.