Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has been named the American League Most Valuable Player, making him the third player in franchise history to receive the honor.
The announcement confirms that Alvarez is the 14th player in Major League Baseball history to win the award unanimously, according to Yahoo Sports.
Alvarez is also the first full-time designated hitter to achieve this specific accolade.
To mark the achievement, the Houston Astros released a video on Friday featuring congratulatory messages from teammates past and present.
The compilation included remarks from shortstop Jeremy Peña and future Hall of Famer Jose Altuve, as documented in an official team social media post.
Alvarez, who is known for his stoic demeanor, became visibly emotional while watching messages from his family and former teammates, including Mauricio Dubon.
The slugger admitted that he did not expect to win the award despite his statistical dominance throughout the 2026 season.
“It seems like everybody else had a good feeling I was going to win this besides me, really,” Alvarez stated during an interview reported by The Athletic.
He noted that the realization of the win was when his emotions emerged.
The team struggled throughout the season, but Alvarez remained a consistent offensive force, leading the league in nearly every major statistical category.
His performance served as a significant recovery from an injury-plagued 2025 campaign.
The video concluded with messages from his wife and children, which further moved the athlete.
The recognition highlights a career trajectory that includes a 2019 Rookie of the Year award and a 2022 World Series championship.
Fans and teammates alike have praised his humility despite his status as one of the most formidable hitters in the professional game.
The organization released the tribute to celebrate his historic season and his impact on the clubhouse culture.
The full context of the celebration was originally published by Chron.