Yordan Alvarez's Intentional Walks Sets Record, Now Buzzkill For Astros Offense

The Houston Astros need every hit Yordan Alvarez can give them. But opposing pitchers are getting less cooperative.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Yordan Alvarez was intentionally walked three times in Sunday’s one-run loss to the Athletics. For the most part over the last few weeks, the opposing team intentionally walking the Astros slugger has paid off forcing Alvarez to become a non-factor.

Alvarez has been intentionally walked a league leading 28 times. That also sets the Astros single season record for intentional walks, breaking the previous record of 27 set by Jeff Bagwell in 1997. Alvarez’s previous career high was 16 set two years ago.

Alvarez’s Sunday Free Passes

Alvarez’s first walk in Sunday’s game came with a runner on second and two outs. Isaac Paredes and Jose Altuve would walk as well, walking in a run. The side was then retired on the next batter.

In the sixth, Alvarez was intentionally walked again, this time with the game tied at six and a runner on second. There was only one out at the time making this walk a bit riskier. Paredes and Altuve were retired quietly to wrap up the frame.

The riskiest of the intentional walks came in the bottom of the eighth with the Astros now trailing by one run. The lead runner, Taylor Trammell, was only on first pushing him into scoring position with the walk. Isaac Paredes, who had homered earlier in the game, produced a lazy fly ball to retire the side.

Hitting In Front Of Paredes

You would think Alvarez has become intentionally walk bait as his season takes off and the rest of the lineup struggles. But the player who hits behind Alvarez, normally Isaac Paredes, is actually on a bit of hot streak and is having a respectable season.

Paredes is the key to making opponents pay for intentionally walking Alvarez. Even in a game where he homered, the Athletics did not fear him enough to prevent the walk on Sunday. Paredes is hitting .260 with a .782 OPS this season. He is also hot over his last 12 games with a .349 average and a .990 OPS but that did not seem to enter the minds of the Athletics.

Astros Three Intentional Walk Games

This marked the 10th game in which an Astro was intentionally walked three times (no Astro has been intentionally walked four times in a game), MLB.com. Seven of the 10 happened in extra-inning games. Houston was previously 8-1 in games where a player was intentionally walked three times showing that it’s perhaps not the most sound strategy.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This season with a runner on second, first base empty and two outs, Alvarez has been intentionally walked 14 times in 18 (78%) such plate appearances including each of the last eight. That compares favorable to Barry Bonds record intentional walks season in 2004 when Bonds was walked in 79% of such plate appearances.

For Alvarez, in the four at bats where he was pitched to, he went 2-for-4 with a home run. This is a no-brainer situation for an intentional walk. We can expect this to continue as long as Alvarez swings his hot bat.

The question is, when will teams stretch the normal guidelines for intentional walks, such as pushing a runner into scoring position as took place on Sunday. How Alvarez and Paredes play down the stretch will answer that question.