Isaac Paredes Proved He's a Threat Behind Yordan Alvarez

It must be strange to be an excellent major league hitter and still be asked about the guy hitting ahead of you. But instead of feeling disrespected or overshadowed, Isaac Paredes seemed genuinely impressed by what he watched Yordan Alvarez do all year.

Paredes had a front-row seat to the best hitter in baseball for most of the season, and was reminded of that during a press conference. While he initially felt disrespected to go up after Yordan Alvarez was intentionally walked or pitched around, his perspective changed, and it no longer felt personal. When Alvarez is healthy, you never know what he is capable of, and Paredes humbly recognizes that.  

Paredes' performance is a little overshadowed by Alvarez, and Paredes' solid performances aren't really talked about enough. He's become a key piece of the puzzle for the Astros, especially at the plate. The Astros may have had their ups and downs this season, but Jeremy Peña, Alvarez, and then Paredes are nothing to mess around with if you're on the mound. 

Here is a look at Paredes’ 2026 regular season stats:

Regular Season Stats:

.262 AVG, 147 H, 25 HR, 94 RBI, 69 R, .360 OBP, .807 OPS

Career Stats: .242 AVG, .342 OBP, .775 OPS

So while teams were choosing to deal with Paredes instead of Alvarez, Paredes put together a season above his career marks in AVG, OBP, and OPS.

Paredes is a threat behind Alvarez, and the stats prove it. With Alvarez getting on base and Paredes' 94 RBI and 25 HR, Paredes became another legitimate threat. Pitching around Alvarez shouldn't be an automatic decision with Paredes right behind him. 

After a great season, the question is what the lineup will look like with Carlos Correa back in the mix. Will Alvarez get the time in left field like he wants to make room for Correa? Paredes as designated hitter and Correa at third? Paredes did a good job at third, so it will be interesting to see how the Astros make room for all of their stars. 

It might take a little time in the offseason or even the beginning of the 2027 regular season to work things out and find their groove, but Paredes made sure to stay a crucial part of the conversation. 

Paredes might have spent much of that press conference talking about how incredible Alvarez is, but his own 2026 season shouldn't get lost behind Alvarez's.

Video source: Isaac Paredes press conference ahead of the Wild Card Series, MLB