MLB Names Alvarez, Wheeler Comeback Players of Year

Yordan Alvarez and Zack Wheeler earned the honor after recovering from injuries that cut short their 2025 seasons.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Baseball

MLB Names Alvarez, Wheeler Comeback Players of Year

MLB named Yordan Alvarez and Zack Wheeler its Comeback Players of the Year at the MLB Awards presented by MGM Rewards on Wednesday night. Alvarez is also a finalist for the American League MVP Award, with results due Thursday night.

Why it matters

The honors recognize players who returned from injuries that derailed their 2025 seasons, with Alvarez posting a career-best .316/.432/.601 line and Wheeler returning to a big league mound in April 2026. Alvarez's MVP candidacy places him among the top hitters in the American League this year.

Alvarez set personal bests with 158 games and 42 home runs in 2026, while Wheeler struck out 193 hitters across 162 innings. The MVP result, due Thursday night, remains the next unresolved outcome.

The players

Yordan Alvarez

Yordan Alvarez is a Houston Astros designated hitter and outfielder who has received American League MVP votes in each season from 2022 to 2024.

Zack Wheeler

Zack Wheeler is a Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher who has been among the National League's most consistent starters across his career.

MLB

Major League Baseball is the top professional baseball league in the United States and Canada, which presents the annual awards.

The details

Alvarez's 2025 season ended after a left hand fracture in May, and he played only 48 games that year. Wheeler's season was halted in late August when he was diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome, and he underwent surgery to remove the first rib near his throwing shoulder before returning to the mound on April 25, 2026.

May 2025: Alvarez suffers a left hand fracture that ends his season early.
Late August 2025: Wheeler's season halts after a thoracic outlet syndrome diagnosis.
April 25, 2026: Wheeler returns to a big league mound.
Wednesday night, November 11, 2026: Comeback Player of the Year honorees announced at the MLB Awards.
Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET: MVP Award results to be announced on MLB Network.

Season Trajectory

The Comeback Player of the Year award, first presented by MLB in 1965, has long recognized players who return from injuries that disrupted their careers. Alvarez's MVP candidacy alongside this honor marks a notable season for an Astros hitter coming off a shortened 2025 campaign.

Alvarez's MVP finalist status affects how fantasy and betting markets value the Astros slugger heading into the announcement. Wheeler's 193-strikeout season adds to the Phillies' rotation depth as the offseason begins.

The takeaway

Both honorees show how a serious injury can be overcome with a strong comeback season, and Alvarez's MVP result Thursday night will show whether his 2026 line earns the league's top individual honor.