Dodgers: Yordan Alvarez Reflects On The Day He Was Traded To The Astros

Yordan Alvarez was once a Dodger, for a month. A few years later, he takes the field for his third World Series with the Astros.

Last night, the Houston Astros picked up their first win of the 2022 World Series matchup with the Phillies. The 5-2 win was clinched by the team's superstar Yordan Alvarez...who was once a Dodger. 

The young Cuban was given $2 million in June of 2016 before the international signing period closed. But his time as a Dodger only lasted one month out with the team's academy in the Dominican Republic. 

He recalled that twice, he simply worked out in a T-shirt and shorts. That pretty much sums up how successful his stint with the LA team was. 

He never saw the field in a Dodger uniform and a few weeks after they acquired him, the team decided to trade him to Houston for Josh Fields, who unfortunately, amounted to nothing. 

The 25 year old shared his journey with Jorge Castillo of the LA Times and reflected on that phone call he remembers all too well.

"I was a little scared,” Álvarez said in Spanish.

“I didn’t know what a trade was here,” Álvarez said. “I didn’t know how that worked.”

“I was happy when they told me about the trade,” Álvarez said. “I knew people in West Palm [Beach, Fla.] and I knew the Astros were going to construct a complex there, so I was happy.”

Alvarez thought the Dodgers were outright releasing him and his chance at playing major league baseball in America was ending. But the Astros gave the 19-year-old at the time another chance. 

Alvarez made his major league debut in 2019 where he was also named Rookie of the Year and this 2022 season, he earned his first All-Star nomination. 

Yordan has a career batting average of .296, 98 home runs, 283 RBIs, and a .974 OPS. During the 2022 season, he slashed .306/.406/.613 with a 1.019 OPS and is currently playing in his third World Series in his fourth season.

This postseason, Alvarez posts a .222 AVG with a .364 OBP and .836 OPS. He has scored 7 runs on 8 hits, collected 9 RBI, and has only struck out 11 times across the team's 9 games so far. 

Did the Dodgers make a mistake by giving up the dominant power hitter to Houston and will it be something they now suddenly regret?