Former Nationals GM Names Astros Slugger as Best Left Fielder in MLB Right Now

Former Nationals GM reveals his top left fielder, and it's an Astros star who missed most of 2025.

Yordan Alvarez | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Yordan Alvarez missed 114 games last season and watched his team miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016. But according to one World Series-winning executive, none of that changes his status as baseball's best left fielder.

Mike Rizzo appeared on MLB Network this week to rank his top 10 left fielders in the game. The former Nationals GM didn't hesitate when it came to his number one pick, placing Alvarez at the top despite his injury-plagued 2025 season.

Rizzo's reasoning was simple. When Alvarez is on the field, he's a different level of hitter. The kind that makes every opposing manager rethink their entire game plan.

"This is a power bat. He's a monster. He acquires all his value through his bat, and it's a beauty. I mean, this is an aircraft carrier in a lineup, a guy you pitch around. Every advanced scout circles his name, and you don't beat him."

“[Yordan Alvarez is] a guy you pitch around. Every advanced scout circles his name... He's a guy that every manager has to manage around.”

- former Nationals GM Mike Rizzo@MLBNow | #Top100RightNow pic.twitter.com/ufhyAbTuTH

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 1, 2026

Those numbers back up what Rizzo sees. Before 2025, Alvarez put together three straight All-Star seasons. He typically hits around .300 with home runs in the mid-30s and drives in runs at an elite rate. That record is precisely the reason why the last season was so ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌painful.

What Went Wrong in 2025

Yordan Alvarez looks on from the dugout | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

A hand fracture kept Alvarez out from early May through late August. He finally came back and started heating up at the plate, then sprained his ankle in September stepping on home plate. That ended his season for good.

Houston played just 48 games with him all year. They finished one game short of the playoffs, and Alvarez's health has become the key factor in whether the Astros can get back to October.

Rizzo knows the injuries happened, but he's ranking players based on what they bring when available. And by that measure, Alvarez is still in a class of his own at the position.

"He's an RBI machine and he's a guy that impacts a game. And he's a guy that every manager has to manage around. So, you know, he, when healthy, he's number one for me."

The rest of Rizzo's top 10 featured some strong names. Jackson Chourio came in at number two, followed by Riley Greene, James Wood, and Tyler Soderstrom. Veterans like Cody Bellinger and Steven Kwan also made the cut, along with Jarren Duran. But Rizzo's praise for Alvarez stood apart from the rest, which tells you everything about how highly he values that bat.

That​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍ grading goes along with what Houston is expecting in 2026. The manager, Joe Espada, has already communicated that they will be giving the role of a designated hitter mainly to Alvarez this season, with the hope that it will keep him off the injured list and in the lineup more ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌frequently.

The numbers prove why the Astros need him back. They win at a .594 clip with Alvarez in the lineup compared to .565 without him. That difference is massive over a full season, especially for a team that missed the playoffs by one game.

At 28 years old and signed through 2028 at $26 million per year, Alvarez represents Houston's biggest bounce-back candidate heading into the new season. If he can stay on the field for 130-plus games, the Astros believe they're right back in playoff contention.

Rizzo's ranking confirms what Houston already knows. Alvarez remains one of the most feared hitters in baseball, and getting him back alongside other key returners gives the Astros a real shot at bouncing back in 2026.

---