Yordan Alvarez Is Getting Intentionally Walked at a Historic Rate and It Makes Sense

Yordan Alvarez hit another home run on Sunday. It was his 25th of the season, a no-doubt blast in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians that sounded like a gunshot off the bat. The ball didn’t just leave the yard. It left with authority.

And then the Guardians did what pretty much every team has been forced to do this year. They intentionally walked him.

That intentional walk was Alvarez’s 10th of the season. According to MLB.com reporter Brian McTaggart, that leads all of Major League Baseball. It’s not particularly close, either. Nobody else in the sport has seen the Barry Bonds treatment quite like Alvarez has in 2026.

The logic is simple enough. Alvarez is hitting .300 with 56 RBIs to go with those 25 homers. He’s on pace for 50. The Astros offense around him has been inconsistent at best. Houston came into Sunday’s game at 36-42, but somehow they’re only three games back in the AL West. That’s how bad the division is this year. And that’s also why teams are willing to put Alvarez on first base rather than let him beat them.

But here’s the thing. The intentional walk isn’t just about respect. It’s about fear. And Alvarez has pitchers spooked.

This isn’t even the first time this month he’s done something ridiculous. On June 12 against the Kansas City Royals, Alvarez hit two home runs in the same inning. A grand slam and a two-run shot. That’s six RBIs in one frame. Since RBI became an official stat in 1920, only Alvarez and David Ortiz have pulled off that exact feat in the first inning, according to ESPN Research. It’s the kind of company you want to keep.

The Astros have needed every bit of that production. Their pitching staff has been banged up. The lineup has been streaky. Jose Altuve is still Jose Altuve but he’s not carrying the load alone. Alvarez is the anchor. If Houston makes a run at the division title this year, it’ll be because of him. He’s making a real case for American League MVP, and the intentional walks are just the loudest stat to prove it.

Sunday’s game against Cleveland was part of a stretch where Houston has gone 5-5 in its last 10. Nothing special. But with Alvarez in the box, you always feel like something special is one swing away. The Guardians clearly felt the same way. They just chose to walk him and take their chances with someone else.