For much of the 2026 campaign, the Houston Astros have appeared to be down and out, but they have gotten hot at the right time to surge atop the American League West division. With a 58-55 record, the Astros hold a 2.5-game lead over the Texas Rangers heading into play on Monday, and in the process, they have almost certainly guaranteed they will operate as buyers ahead of the upcoming trade deadline.
Prior to winning nine of their past 10 games, Houston couldn’t seem to figure out what its trade deadline plans would look like. Now, the front office is clearly operating as a buyer, but first, the team received some important news regarding superstar designated hitter Yordan Alvarez that will catch fans’ attention.
Yordan Alvarez Named AL Player of the Month
It’s tough for one player to win a game on his own in baseball, but if there’s a guy who has been single-handedly keeping Houston afloat this year, it’s Alvarez. While Houston has struggled to piece together its starting rotation and find a crop of players who can hold their own in the outfield, Alvarez has been powering the team forward.
Long regarded as one of the best hitters in all of baseball, Alvarez is putting together easily the best season of his career. He is currently making a run for the Triple Crown, as he’s leading the majors in both batting average (.330) and home runs (35), with his RBI tally (84) being tops in the AL.
While Alvarez has been great, he can only do so much when it comes to helping the Astros win more games, which is why the team is expected to attempt to reinforce its lineup at the deadline. Before that happens, though, the league opted to give Alvarez a well-earned accolade, as he was revealed to be the latest recipient of the AL Player of the Month Award.
“Washington Nationals shortstop C.J. Abrams, who teams would love to acquire, is the NL Player of the Month while Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros is the AL Player of the Month,” Bob Nightengale of USA Today shared in a post on X.
Astros Aiming to Get Yordan Alvarez Some Help at the Trade Deadline
GettyANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JULY 28: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 28, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Alvarez seems to be well on his way to winning the American League MVP Award, but as is always the case, the Astros have bigger aspirations. While the team has struggled to keep up its winning ways over the past few years, you can’t ever count them out, as one well-timed hot streak has put Houston in a perfect position to get Alvarez some help at the deadline.
What that help will end up being is unknown, but it’s clear that the outfield could stand to benefit from the addition of three new players. That almost certainly won’t happen, but that’s the sort of urgency the front office will be working with. As a result, look for the ‘Stros to swing a couple of deals before the deadline strikes.
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