Yordan Alvarez won the American League Most Valuable Player award unanimously on Thursday, taking all 30 first-place votes to finish with 420 points in balloting announced on MLB Network by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
The Houston Astros designated hitter becomes the fourth Cuban-born player to win a regular-season MVP award in major league history, following Zoilo Versalles in 1965, José Canseco in 1988, and José Abreu in 2020. All four players secured the honor in the American League.
Alvarez played 158 games during the 2026 season, setting a personal high while leading the major leagues in batting average at .316, on-base percentage at .432, and slugging percentage at .601 for a 1.033 OPS. He hit 42 home runs and drove in 106 runs, falling short of a Triple Crown by a single home run and seven RBIs.
Alvarez Joins Elite Group of Historic Offensive Leaders
Only five other players in major league history have led the majors in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage in a single season: Aaron Judge in 2025, Miguel Cabrera in 2013, Barry Bonds in 2002, Larry Walker in 1999, and George Brett in 1980.
The unanimous selection arrives after an injury-shortened 2025 campaign in which Alvarez appeared in just 48 games due to a fractured right hand and a severe left ankle sprain. His return produced a collection of accolades during MVP week, including the American League Comeback Player of the Year award, the Edgar Martínez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, and the Hank Aaron Award.
“This season was very different, simply because I was healthy,” Alvarez said. “It seemed like everyone had the feeling I was going to win, except me. When I heard my name, that’s when the emotion hit. The feeling is incredible.”
Alvarez Becomes Second Designated Hitter to Win AL MVP
Alvarez is the second designated hitter to win the American League MVP award, following Shohei Ohtani, who won the honor four times. He joins Jeff Bagwell, who won the National League award in 1994, and José Altuve, who won the American League award in 2017, as the third player in Astros history to claim the MVP.
“I hope this opens the door for more designated hitters to win the award,” Alvarez said.
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero finished second in the voting with 267 points, marking the highest finish ever for a Tampa Bay player. Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. placed third with 188 points.
“First of all, I want to congratulate Yordan for winning the MVP,” Caminero said. “He is an incredible player and he deserves all the recognition. I’m young, I have a lot more to prove, and this just motivates me to keep getting better. My time will come.”
Path from Las Tunas to Houston
Raised with the Leñadores de Las Tunas in the Cuban National Series, Alvarez left the island at age 15 and traveled through Haiti and the Dominican Republic before signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016.
The Astros acquired him later that year and brought him to the majors in June 2019, when he won the American League Rookie of the Year award. His resume also includes the American League Championship Series MVP award in 2021, a World Series title in 2022, and a Silver Slugger award in 2022.
Silver Slugger Announcements on November 17
Cuban baseball players anticipate additional recognition on Monday, November 17, when the winners of the 2026 Silver Slugger awards are announced. Randy Arozarena and Miguel Vargas enter the final stage as finalists for the honors.
Worth a look
