THE APEX TIMES
Eight months before Yordan Alvarez became a major-league star, the Dodgers traded him away as part of a mid-2016 bullpen push. Six seasons later he’s on the MVP ballot, answering the central question: the original club didn’t get to keep him, and the trade returned long-term value anyway.
Yordan Alvarez arrived in the majors as an answer to a question the Astros asked themselves in 2016. After the Dodgers made a roster move aimed at improving their bullpen in the middle of the season, Los Angeles sent Alvarez’s rights across town and received a pitcher instead, opening the door for Houston to build around the young bat.
The deal was built on a mismatch in perceived value. The Astros traded for Alvarez on Aug. 1, 2016, giving up RHP Josh Fields, and the story MLB tells is that Dodgers management initially thought the Astros’ request was for a different Alvarez. Houston, meanwhile, believed it had found a rare upside bat early enough to develop it.
Alvarez’s fast track through the minors helped justify that belief. MLB’s account says he rose quickly and forced his way to the majors after posting a 0.343 batting average, a 1.184 OPS, and 23 home runs in 56 games at Triple-A Round Rock in 2019, then delivered immediate impact in his debut season with a.313/.412/.655 slash line.
The initial spark did not fade into a one-year highlight. According to the same account, Alvarez made All-Star teams each year from 2022-24 and again in 2026, finished third in AL MVP voting in 2022, and played a key role in the Astros’ championship run, including homers in the postseason ALDS and World Series.
Houston’s MVP case for 2026 is supported by volume and profile. MLB reports that in 2026 Alvarez hit 42 home runs, drove in 106 runs, led MLB in batting average (.316), on-base percentage (.432), slugging percentage (.601), and walks (109), then finished the year as an AL MVP finalist.
The trade framework is why this story matters beyond one player. MLB frames Alvarez as the counterexample to the idea that prospect trades always become cautionary tales, pointing out that Houston acquired him early enough to turn a low-probability bet into a core piece, while the Dodgers’ return did not prevent the original prospect’s long-term rise.