The Houston Astros have gone above and beyond to secure the services of their star designated hitter Yordan Álvarez for years to come. According to multiple reports, the Astros handed out a six-year extension to Álvarez that will pay him $115 million.
If the numbers are correct, then the contract represents the biggest in MLB history for a player that plays DH as his main position. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that the new deal kicks in next season and buys out three years of Álvarez’s free agency.
Álvarez made his debut for the Astros in 2019 and immediately showed he was a special player by earning All-MLB Second Team and AL Rookie of the Year honors. He was limited to just two games in 2020 after undergoing knee surgery but followed that up with a breakthrough campaign last year.
The Las Tunas, Cuba-native batted .277 for Astros in 2021 while having team-leading 33 home runs and 104 RBIs. He was even more productive in the postseason and ended up winning the ALCS MVP award after hitting .522 in the Boston Red Sox series.
Álvarez had a strong start in 2022 as well, currently hitting .272. The 24-year-old player also has 14 homers, which is third-most in the majors, and 31 RBIs in 41 games.
