HOUSTON — Yordan Alvarez won the 2026 American League MVP award, the Baseball Writers' Association of America announced Thursday night.
Alvarez, 29, posted a.316 batting average,.432 on-base percentage and.601 slugging percentage across 158 games, earning a 190 OPS+. He led all major league players in batting average by five points, on-base percentage by 42 points and slugging percentage by 31 points.
His offensive production included 34 doubles, one triple, 42 home runs, 106 RBI and 105 runs. He also recorded 6.8 WAR and led the majors in walks.
Alvarez fell one home run and seven RBI short of the Triple Crown. His 1.033 OPS was 90 points ahead of National League MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong's.943.
The award marked Alvarez's return to health after playing only 48 games in an injury-affected 2025 season. It was the third time an Astros player has won the AL MVP—Jeff Bagwell in 1994 and Jose Altuve in 2017.
Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays finished second. The 22-year-old third baseman played all 162 games and hit.276/.360/.524 with 42 home runs, 101 RBI, 100 runs and 5.7 WAR. He became the first Rays player ever to finish in the top five of MVP voting.
Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals placed third. The shortstop hit.281/.359/.441 with 33 doubles, 18 home runs, 54 RBI, 94 runs and 45 stolen bases, finishing with 6.7 WAR. It marked his fourth straight top-seven finish and third consecutive top-four placement.
