Henry Roldán
The Houston Astros recognize that Yordan Álvarez is an important piece of their team’s future, and they did not want to wait any longer to extend his contract, which they accomplished on Friday.
As reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the 24-year-old Cuban reached an agreement with the organization for the next six seasons and $115 million: the largest contract in the history of the Major Leagues for a designated hitter.
With this extension, the Astros secured Yordan Álvarez until the 2028 season, having assured the presence of the left-handed hitter in the three remaining seasons of salary arbitration and three more in which he could have become a free agent.
Passan added that, with this new contract, Álvarez not only becomes the second highest paid in Astros history behind José Altuve’s $151 million, but it is also the fourth-largest contract for a player with arbitration years still to go in his contract. The hitter also now averages $19 million per year, and from the fourth year on, his salary will be $26 million.
The 2019 Rookie of the Year extension arrives at an ideal moment for Houston, which is now leading the West Division of the American League thanks in large part to Álvarez outstanding offensive output.
A well-deserved contract for Yordan Álvarez
Although it was not expected that the Astros would renew Yordan Álvarez’s contract in the middle of the season, the money that the hitter will receive is more than deserved for what he has done so far in his short career in the Major Leagues.
Despite playing just five games in the shortened 2020 season due to injury, Álvarez is one of the most powerful sluggers on the circuit today, and his 75 home runs in just 278 games are enough proof of it.
In addition to winning Rookie of the Year in 2019, last season the player was essential for the Astros to win the American League championship by hitting 33 home runs and driving in 104 runs, along with their MVP in the Young Circuit Championship Series.
For his part, this year that performance has not slowed down, and in 45 games he could be on track to compete at the end of the season for the MVP by being second in the AL with 14 homers, while registering 31 RBIs and a very good OPS of. 941.
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