Yordan Alvarez won the American League MVP unanimously on Thursday after hitting 42 home runs for the Houston Astros. More than half of those homers came with the bases empty. As new general manager Randy Flores builds the 2027 lineup, an outfielder with a strong on-base record could help Houston get more out of its best hitter by batting ahead of him.
The Baseball Writers’ Association of America gave Alvarez all 30 first-place votes. He led the majors with a 1.033 OPS, and the Astros hit an MLB-best 226 homers. MLB’s team batting totals show Houston finished 13th with 734 runs and 19th with a .315 on-base percentage. For Flores, that makes getting another hitter aboard regularly a way to build on the club’s power.
The Astros Can Put More Runners in Front Of Alvarez
In Baseball Savant’s 2026 splits, 24 of Alvarez’s 42 home runs were solo shots. He hit another 18 with at least one runner already aboard. The split shows what’s at stake when Alvarez bats with traffic, especially if Houston keeps him in the second spot, where he regularly hit last season.
Jeremy Peña was a credible option atop the order. In his plate appearances batting first, Peña reached base at a .323 clip and slugged .484. He played 112 games, though, and the Astros can improve how often their leadoff hitter reaches base. Across 600 chances that count toward on-base percentage, a .350 hitter would reach safely about 16 more times than one at .323. That gives Houston a benchmark when it evaluates available outfielders.
Flores told the Houston Chronicle’s Matt Kawahara that the Astros need to address their outfield production. Houston ranked 29th in outfield OPS and started 12 players in left field and eight in center. An everyday outfielder with a strong on-base record could upgrade a position that needs help and give new manager Brad Ausmus another option at the top of the order.
Isaac Paredes Gives Houston a Reason To Keep the Order intact
Opponents intentionally walked Alvarez 33 times, a franchise record. Kawahara’s postseason analysis found that Isaac Paredes was due up for 26 of those walks. Paredes finished with a .360 on-base percentage and 25 homers, and he hit .293 with runners in scoring position. Houston exercised his $13.35 million option for 2027, preserving an experienced hitter behind Alvarez.
Alvarez slugged .650 with only a runner on first. An intentional walk with a runner on first can put that runner in scoring position for Paredes. If the pitcher challenges Alvarez, one swing can produce multiple runs. That gives opponents a tougher choice.
An outfielder who reaches base consistently against right-handed pitching could earn regular work ahead of Alvarez. It would also let Ausmus move Peña lower when a matchup calls for it. Peña hit 22 homers, so his bat can still help deeper in the order. That gives Flores a way to improve the top of the lineup while spreading some power through the order.
What Yordan Alvarez’s 24 Solo Homers Mean for the Astros’ 2027 Lineup