Astros Manager Joe Espada Drops Blunt Quote on All-Star Slugger Yordan Alvarez

Nine games remain in the regular season and the Houston Astros battle with the Texas Rangers for the American League West Division title. The two in-state rivals were tied going into action on Thursday night for first place. You get the feeling that this is going to go down to Game No. 162 a week from Sunday.

The Astros grabbed a one-game lead in the race on Thursday night with a 6-2 win at home over the Kansas City Royals, while the Rangers blew a late 3-0 lead at home to the Boston Red Sox in Arlington. A three-run eighth-inning home run from Trevor Story ended up being the difference in a 4-3 Red Sox victory.

Houston begins a three-game series at home on Friday night against the Atlanta Braves, while Texas opens a home series against the Toronto Blue Jays. The division can't be won or lost this weekend, but one player who will have a say in how things turn out is Houston slugger Yordan Alvarez. After Thursday night's win, Astros manager Joe Espada didn't beat around the bush about what his DH means to his club going down the stretch and, really, all season long.

Astros Manager Joe Espada Drops Honest Quote on Star Slugger Yordan Alvarez

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez Credit: Erik Williams | Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Alvarez is a frontrunner to win the American League MVP award this season. It appears that Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero might be his biggest challenger for the award. However, if there is any question as to who should win it, Espada made his feelings known after Thursday night's win over the Royals.

“Our club, without him, would be a completely different record,” said Espada, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. “Credit to our players. This is a team; everybody contributes, but without Yordan we could be in a completely different spot. That’s why he’s the MVP to this team and he’s the Most Valuable Player to this league. I’m very biased. This guy from day one has done it. He’s gotten the biggest hits for us. Without him, we couldn’t be in first place. We couldn’t be in this position.”

Espada is not wrong. Without Alvarez, they would likely be further down the standings in the AL West and the Rangers would be winning the division. Alvarez hit his 40th home run of the season against Kansas City on Thursday night. After struggling in August and early September, the left-handed power-hitter has turned things around at the right time.

The 29-year-old Alvarez is slashing .311/.429/.598 with his 40 home runs and is one RBI shy of 100, which would be the second time he has driven in 100-plus runs in a season. He also did it in 2021. How good has Alvarez been at the plate? He has drawn 103 walks, 32 intentionally.

After three games at home against Atlanta, Houston will finish the season on the road with two games against the Seattle Mariners and four against the Athletics. The Astros will go as far as Alvarez brings them offensively and they hope that's to the postseason as the winner of the AL West and a wild-card series at home in two weeks.

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