Yordan Álvarez wins MLB Player of the Week for the second time this season

June 10, 2026

Cuban designated hitter Yordan Álvarez of the Houston Astros was named the American League Player of the Week for the second time in the 2026 season, MLB announced on Monday, June 9. It is the fifth such award of his career, placing him third among Cubans in the history of the major leagues.

Over the awarded week, the Las Tunas native put together a dominant offensive performance: a .476 batting average, two home runs — including a grand slam —, nine RBIs, five walks, a .810 slugging percentage, and a 1.387 OPS.

With this latest honor, Álvarez now has five weekly awards across his eight MLB seasons. That places him just one behind José Dariel Abreu, who earned six such awards between 2014 and 2021, and three behind the all-time Cuban record holder José Canseco, who accumulated eight, according to the specialized site Swing Completo.

On the 2026 season, the three-time All-Star is putting up MVP-caliber numbers: 22 home runs — second in all of MLB, trailing only Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber —, 48 RBIs, and a .316 batting average. The Astros carry a 30-37 record, sitting 4.5 games back of the Seattle Mariners (34-32) atop the AL West.

(With information from Swing Completo / MLB.com / OnCuba News)