Sports · Baseball · 27 mins ago
Wheeler and Alvarez win MLB Comeback Player of the Year awards
Zack Wheeler and Yordan Alvarez won MLB’s Comeback Player of the Year awards, for the National League and American League respectively.
Wheeler plays for the Philadelphia Phillies, while Alvarez is a designated hitter for the Houston Astros.
Both had been limited by injuries in 2025: Wheeler had surgery and did not pitch after Aug.
15, while Alvarez played only 48 games after breaking his right hand and spraining his left ankle.
Wheeler returned to make 28 starts, finishing 14-5 with a 3.00 earned run average and 193 strikeouts.
Alvarez played a career-high 158 games, led the American League with a .316 batting average and hit 42 home runs.
Alvarez also won the Edgar Martinez award for outstanding designated hitter, ending Shohei Ohtani’s five-year run of wins.
The awards were voted on by MLB team beat writers.
Zack Wheeler won the National League Comeback Player of the Year award, and Yordan Alvarez won the American League honor.
The awards were announced Wednesday night in Las Vegas.
Wheeler, a Philadelphia pitcher, went 14-5 with a 3.00 ERA in 28 starts after undergoing thoracic outlet decompression surgery.
Alvarez, a Houston designated hitter, hit .316 with 42 home runs and 106 RBIs over a career-high 158 games.
Alvarez was limited to 48 games in 2025 because of a broken right hand and a sprained left ankle.
- Who
- Zack Wheeler and Yordan Alvarez.
- What
- They won MLB Comeback Player of the Year awards for the National and American leagues, respectively.
- When
- Wednesday night; the articles were published on November 11 and 12, 2026.
- Where
- Las Vegas.
- Why
- The awards recognized their returns after injury or surgery; Wheeler had thoracic outlet decompression surgery, while Alvarez missed much of 2025 with a broken right hand and a sprained left ankle.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Alvarez was limited to 48 games because of a broken right hand and a sprained left ankle.
Wheeler did not pitch after Aug. 15 and had thoracic outlet decompression surgery.
Wheeler went 14-5 with a 3.00 ERA in 28 starts, while Alvarez played a career-high 158 games.
Wheeler and Alvarez were named their leagues’ Comeback Players of the Year in Las Vegas.
- NL winner
- Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia
- AL winner
- Yordan Alvarez, Houston
- Wheeler's record
- 14-5 with a 3.00 ERA in 28 starts
- Alvarez's batting average
- .316
- Alvarez's home runs and RBIs
- 42 home runs; 106 RBIs
- Award announcement
- Wednesday night in Las Vegas