Chicago White Sox: 5 Houston Astros players to be terrified of

Yordan Alvarez

Yordan Alvarez is someone that will be a big threat to the Chicago White Sox.

This is a series that should see a lot of home runs. Both ballparks are very hitter-friendly. That bodes well for Yordan Alvarez who arguably has the most power out of anyone in the series.

Alvarez’s 33 home runs this year are the most for any player on either team. He also has 104 RBIs which put him in the company of Jose Abreu as the only two players in this series with 30 plus home runs and 100 plus RBIs.

Alvarez has a sweet stroke and from the left-hand side of the plate. He presents a difficult challenge for White Sox pitching. Alvarez isn’t just a power hitter, however. He is hitting .277 with a .877 OPS.

During the White Sox trip to Houston in June, Alvarez recorded at least one in all four games. He also drove in three runs. Alvarez won Rookie of the Year in 2019 and adds another layer of difficulty to a deep Astros lineup.

The key for White Sox pitching is to keep the ball high and inside. Alvarez does not have any home runs on pitches high and outside the zone. On high inside fastballs, he only has one hit this season. The White Sox have a long list of hard-throwing pitchers. If they aren’t afraid to throw inside they can get Alvarez to miss when they are up in the count.

However, if they miss their location and leave the ball over the plate Alvarez can do damage. He has nine home runs this season on inside pitches that are in the strike zone so it’s best to keep the ball up. Hopefully, they are able to contain all of these scary Houston Astros players.