Astros star Yordan Alvarez unanimously wins AL MVP award after flirtation with Triple Crown

Yordan Alvarez had his challengers for American League MVP, but in the end it was unanimous. The designated hitter won the award on Thursday, getting all 30 first-place votes from the BBWAA.

Alvarez is the third Astros player to win the award, joining Jose Altuve in 2017 and Jeff Bagwell in 1994. He beat out finalists Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays and Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals.

Advertisement

Caminero got 27 second-place votes, with Witt and Cy Young Award winner Cam Schittler getting the remaining three.

It was an impressive season for Alvarez, who returned from an injury-riddled 2025 to post career-highs in batting average, on-base percentage, home runs, RBI and runs scored. His .319/.432/.601 slash line gave him the best average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage in the league. He also led the AL in walks, total bases and OPS+.

Not only did Alvarez win MVP, he also won the AL Hank Aaron Award as the league's best hitter, the AL Comeback Player of the Year award and the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, in addition to All-MLB and likely Silver Slugger honors.

Advertisement

Alvarez was in contention for the Triple Crown — when a player leads their league in batting average, home runs and RBI — until very late in the season. A relatively slow August, in which Alvarez hit just two home runs, effectively ended his shot at the accomplishment.

That tepid August allowed Caminero to claw his way back into MVP consideration. While he put up a valiant effort, Caminero's .276/.360/.524 slash line ultimately fell short. With Alvarez outperforming his competition at the plate, Caminero could have made up the difference with his defense. But the third baseman was shaky at the position, which dragged down his WAR.

Defense was a major reason Witt finished as the third finalist in the voting. While Witt's offensive numbers paled in comparison to Alvarez and Caminero — Witt hit .281/.359/.441 over 143 games — the Royals star was the best defensive player in the AL at one of its toughest positions.

Advertisement

While all three players were deserving of the award, it certainly helped that New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who won AL MVP in three of the four previous seasons, was sidelined for most of a season due to injuries. He played in just 66 games in 2026.

Judge's absence played a role, but Alvarez's performance resulted in the slugger winning his first MVP award. While Judge should be back and ready to contend for the award as early as next season, Alvarez's breakout could make a perennial contender for the MVP as long as he stays healthy. He proved in 2026 he's one of the best pure hitters in the game.