With spring training continuing on for the Houston Astros, the team is getting prepared for what will be their most uncertain year in a long time.
After having their seven-year streak of making the American League Championship Series snapped last October, the Astros have undergone a lot of change this winter.
Even though there have been multiple notable departures, Houston did have a couple of nice additions as well.
Since first base has been such an issue for the team, the signing of Christian Walker to man the position was a great move by the team. While his age will come with some risk, the veteran slugger can play gold glove-caliber defense and hit 30 home runs for the team.
Due to the loss of Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker this winter, all eyes will be on what the offense looks like for the Astros.
However, despite losing those two players, there are still some talented hitters in the batting order, especially in the top six.
Fortunately for Houston, they have a three-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year still in the middle of their lineup.
Andrew Simon of MLB.com recently spoke about the projected top home run hitter for every team. For the Astros, Yordan Alvarez was the top choice with a projected 34 home runs this season.
While there has been a ton of talk about the loss of Bregman and Tucker, it has overshadowed the fact that there are still some very good hitters on this team. One of which is Alvarez.
At just 27 years old, the left-handed slugger is still very much in his prime. While he might be asked to take on a more significant role in the lineup with two stars departing, the big lefty has been great for the franchise since being called up.
In 2024, Alvarez slashed .308/.392/.567 with 35 home runs and 86 RBI. Coming into 2025, the slugger being projected as the most likely player to lead the team in home runs makes a lot of sense, especially with the loss of Tucker.
Even though the 27-year-old led the team in home runs last year, Tucker likely would have beaten him if he didn’t miss so much time.
As Alvarez and the Astros prepare for the start of the season, the left-handed slugger will be seeking his fourth-straight All-Star appearance and to continue to insert his name into the MVP conversation.
Barring a player really having a great year, the talented slugger is a logical choice to lead the team in home runs.