The Houston Astros have spent the first half of this season looking uneven, stuck below .500 and fielding trade rumors around some of their biggest names. But on Friday night in Kansas City, Yordan Alvarez reminded everyone why he’s the one player the front office reportedly refuses to move.
In the top of the first inning against the Royals, Alvarez did something no Houston player had ever done in franchise history: he drove in six runs in a single frame. According to Houston Chronicle beat writer Matt Kawahara, Alvarez is the first Astro — going back to the Colt .45s era — to pull off that kind of run production in one inning.
It started with a two-run homer. Then, later in the same inning, Alvarez stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and crushed a grand slam. The two swings put Houston up 9-0 before the Royals even had a chance to bat. Video of the grand slam posted by ClutchPoints showed Alvarez rounding the bases as the Astros’ dugout erupted.
The outburst also put Alvarez in elite company. He became just the third Astros player ever to hit two home runs in the same inning, joining Jeff Bagwell (1994) and Lee May (1974). Both of those historic swings happened at the old Astrodome. Alvarez’s came at Kauffman Stadium, but the result was just as electrifying.
On the season, Alvarez is batting .316 with 22 home runs and 48 RBIs through 70 games. If the season ended today, he would be a strong candidate for American League MVP. That kind of production is why the Astros have insisted, despite their 31-39 record and a fourth-place spot in the AL West, that Alvarez is not going anywhere. He’s under contract through at least 2028, and the organization views him as a foundational piece.
The Astros have dropped six of their last ten games and are trying to stabilize during a three-game set in Kansas City. Alvarez’s historic first inning gives them something to feel good about — and a reminder that even in a down year, their lineup still has a generational talent.
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