Yordan Álvarez evolves into complete player in 2022 playoffs
Yordan Alvarez #YordanAlvarez
Yordan Álvarez is among the greatest hitters in baseball history through his first four MLB seasons.
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That’s not hyperbole. Álvarez’s career 163 OPS+ sits No. 11 all-time for players in their first four years, sitting just ahead of legends Stan Musial and Henry Aaron. Of players to log at least 1,500 career plate appearances, Álvarez sits No. 10 all-time. Houston’s left-hander showed off his prodigious power with Tuesday’s game-winning home run. He’s also one of baseball’s best pure hitters.
“He’s a hitter with slugger’s power,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said Thursday ahead of Game 2 against Seattle. “[He’s improved] with his pitch selection and concentration. He can really use the whole field and not just be a slugger.”
Few have doubted Álvarez’s offensive prowess since he arrived in the big leagues in 2019. He bashed 27 homers in just 87 games in his rookie season, and he’s posted a slugging percentage above .600 in three of his first four seasons. His capabilities as a defender are another story.
Álvarez’s frame is that of a prototypical middle-of-the-order masher. He stands 6’5″ and 225 pounds, with the bat often looking like a toothpick in his hands as he leans over the inner half of the plate. Yet while players of Álvarez’s size are often relegated to designated-hitter duty, Álvarez has become a mainstay in Houston’s outfield.
Álvarez logged a career-high 56 games in left field this season, and while he posted a negative mark in outs above average, his left arm has become a legitimate weapon. He saved five runs via throws to second base, third base or home plate in 2022, the sixth-best mark in baseball. Álvarez said Tuesday he’s “shown the ability that I can play the outfield.” His manager seems to hold a similar opinion.
“I think Yordan has been playing great out there,” Baker said Tuesday. “You don’t want to change things too drastically just because you’re in the playoffs.”
Baker was rewarded for his faith in Álvarez’s defense in Tuesday’s ALDS opener. The Mariners took a commanding 6-2 lead in the bottom of the 4th, and they had a chance to add their lead on a single by Eugenio Suárez. Álvarez stopped the scoring run in its track. He threw a dart to home plate at 93.6 MPH, getting the ball to catcher Martín Maldonado before Seattle first baseman Ty France reached the plate. France was then promptly tagged out, preventing further damage against starting pitcher Justin Verlander.
Álvarez is slated to be a feared presence in the heart of Houston’s order for the next decade-plus, and he’s already reached his potential as one of baseball’s best hitters. As Houston looks to reach the World Series once again in 2022, Álvarez’s defense has become an added bonus. His emergence as a legitimate outfielder further strengthens the Astros’ case as a favorite to win the Fall Classic in the coming weeks.