For the first time in MLB history, a team with a .500 record won a division. That club was the 2026 Houston Astros, a team that took advantage of a weak division and a fantastic year from a likely AL MVP. Plus, several arms who helped shoulder the load.
An MVP year for Yordan
Yordan Alvarez should be the clear favorite for the AL MVP this season.
Alvarez was unable to win the elusive Triple Crown in 2026. He finished first in batting average (.316), one off the AL home run lead, and seven behind American League home run leader Pete Alonso for the RBI king.
Still, Alvarez was the straw for the Astros’ 2026 season, one year after he missed a healthy chunk of the campaign due to injury.
Depth help along the way
Jeremy Pena was a superstar during the second half. Pena hit 16 home runs after the All-Star break, three more than Isaac Paredes for the team lead.
Paredes did very well, as well. The Astros needed Paredes to come through in a big way, especially with Carlos Correa not available for much of the season. Despite Correa trying to work his back in September, the Astros infielder will not be playing in the postseason thanks to ankle surgery recovery.
Yainer Diaz hit eight home runs after the break, while Christian Walker and Cam Smith belted nine. Overall, the Astros got the help needed to stave off the Texas Rangers.
And then there’s Jose Altuve, who was able to end the 2026 campaign with an OPS above .700 despite what was a down second half. While Altuve did hit 17 extra-base hits, he did not do much damage in the power department against right-handed pitchers.
What can Brown do for the Astros?
When healthy, a lot.
Brown only made 20 starts but was sterling yet again as the new ace of the club. He struck out 124 batters over 107 innings, in a year where the Astros were truly in need of some help along the way in the rotation.
We knew heading into the year that the Astros were going to have trouble filling out the rotation. The club signed Tatsuya Imai, a move that hasn’t aged well nearly one year later. Mike Burrows, also acquired in the offseason, was very prone to the home run ball in 2026.
In fact, the best add for that rotation wound up being ex-Rockie Peter Lambert, who pitched in Japan last year.
Hader calming the storm
Josh Hader had a rare blow-up during the final week of the season in Seattle. However, pitching on a second inning, that could be somewhat forgiven. But even though that game could have cost the Astros a playoff spot, it didn’t diminish what was a standout campaign from Hader.
Hader only allowed one home run and five earned runs over 44.2 IP. He struck out 55 and posted an ERA just above 1.00.
Simply, he was dominant.
What’s ahead?
The Astros will get the White Sox, a hungry team with a lot of swing-and-miss and pop, in the AL Wild Card Round.
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