Yordan Alvarez is a hitter's hitter. The Houston Astros pillar mashed a career-high 42 home runs, one shy of Pete Alonso for the American-League lead, and has crushed 30-plus dingers in every season that he has exceeded 100 games played. This man does not just wield top-notch power, however. He is a well-rounded offensive juggernaut who can spray the ball all over the field. Joe Espada is no longer his manager, but he remains in awe of the Cuban left-handed batter.

“What makes Yordan a great hitter is that he's not only a power hitter. He's a hitter first,” the former Houston skipper told SiriusXM's MLB Network Radio. “Yordan knows that he can always put his B-swing on an at-bat and still be productive… So he always talked to all the hitters about how he approaches certain pitchers certain days, and he made it sound so easy…. But he was open about how he went about his approach, and he wanted to help everyone around him.”

There are plenty of players who will go all-or-nothing in the batter's box, chasing the big fly rather than settling for a bloop hit or double in the gap. Alvarez is by no means a slap-hitter, but he is not hunting for home runs every game. He takes what the pitcher gives him and consistently produces for his team.

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The 29-year-old slashed an MLB-best .316/.432/.601/1.033 and recorded 106 RBIs in 692 plate appearances. Despite playing only 25 games in left field, he still accumulated a stellar 6.8 WAR. Alvarez helped an injury-plagued and generally thin roster avoid disaster and clinch the AL Central. The primary designated hitter's herculean efforts earned him unanimous AL MVP honors.

Yordan Alvarez proved himself to be a force of destruction in the past, but he attained his top form in 2026. Joe Espada perfectly emphasized the heart of No. 44's excellence. He can make an impact even when he is not tearing the cover off the baseball. More guys should try to see the game through his lens, even if they are unable to match his elite production.