Astros need Yordan Alvarez to answer .430 slugging percentage question

The Houston Astros are looking to return to the postseason after a late-season collapse in 2025, and while they made some offseason moves, their biggest addition might not be a player from outside the organization.

Instead of Tatsuya Imai, Mike Burrows, or any of their other offseason pickups, there's a different player who will be very important for Houston this season. That player is Yordan Alvarez.

As ESPN's Bradford Doolittle noted, Alvarez needs to have a big 2026 season and answer a major .430 slugging percentage question from his rough 2025 season.

Astros need Yordan Alvarez to avoid repeat of 2025

"Pivotal number: .430. Think of it like this: If the Astros get the version of Yordan Alvarez they had from 2022 to 2024, as compared to the one they had in 2025, that becomes one of the biggest acquisitions of the offseason. The number here is Alvarez's slugging percentage from his injury-ruined 2025."

Alvarez had a season to forget in 2025, as he was banged up for much of the year, and when he did play, he wasn't nearly as good as he had been in the years prior.

Going strictly by slugging percentage, Alvarez's .430 mark from 2025 was a stark contrast from the rest of his Major League career up until that point.

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In the previous six years of his career, Alvarez had a .583 slugging percentage. In other words, Alvarez was 153 points worse when it came to his slugging abilities last season.

Houston desperately needs Alvarez to play better and feature more slug in the 2026 regular season if they want to make the postseason.

He's off to a good start through three games, slugging .636 in 11 at-bats with one home run and one double. It's early, but if Alvarez can continue on this pace, or at least not fall below .500, the Astros should be in a good spot for the postseason in 2026.

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