Astros’ Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez receive Silver Slugger honors

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The Houston Astros sported one of the most fearsome lineups in baseball in 2022, and the depth of their offensive attack was reflected in the nominations for MLB’s annual Silver Slugger awards. 

Five Astros were nominated for Silver Slugger honors in the American League this season, with two infielders, two outfielders and a catcher making the cut. Second baseman Jose Altuve and third baseman Alex Bregman each received a nomination, as did young outfielders Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker, with Alvarez getting the nod at designated hitter. Martin Maldonado was also a finalist as a catcher.

The winners of the Silver Slugger awards were announced Thursday night, less than one week after the Astros secured the second World Series title in franchise history. 

So which Houston players were honored on Thursday? Check out the Astros’ Silver Slugger winners below.

Jose Altuve, 2B

The 2017 AL MVP rebounded at the plate in 2022 after a pair of seasons below his All-Star standard. Altuve’s .921 OPS was his best mark since 2017, and his 28 home runs were the second-most in a single season across his 12-year career. He was rewarded with the Silver Slugger for his impressive campaign, edging out Andres Gimenez, Marcus Semien and DJ LeMahieu for the award.

Altuve couldn’t replicate his 2022 performance in the postseason. He uncharacteristically struggled atop Houston’s lineup in the chase for the World Series, and in 58 playoff at-bats, he registered just one extra-base hit. Yet after securing his second career World Series ring, it’s unlikely Altuve enters the offseason dwelling too much on his difficult playoffs. 

Yordan Alvarez, DH

Alvarez’s counting stats for 2022 are impressive enough in their own right. He blasted 37 homers along with 29 doubles, and he finished fifth among American League batters with 97 RBI. Now imagine if Alvarez played the full season. The hulking lefthander missed 27 games due to injury in 2022, potentially robbing him of 100-plus at-bats. Alvarez wouldn’t have challenged Aaron Judge’s AL home run record even if healthy, but he’d likely log a better finish in the final MVP ballot. 

Two-way star Shohei Ohtani gave Alvarez a run for his money in the Silver Slugger race, but Alvarez’s advanced stats give him a pretty clear edge here. His 1.019 OPS is the second-best mark of all players in 2022. His 187 OPS+ ranks No. 8 among left-handed hitters in a season since 2000, trailing only Jim Thome (2002) and Jason Giambi (2000, 2001) among AL batters. Alvarez is a truly prodigious hitter. He should continue to put up Cooperstown-worthy seasons across the 2020s.