ARLINGTON, Texas — Yordan Alvarez crushed a 425-foot home run on July 11, 2026. The blast, captured by MLB’s Data Viz system, instantly shifted the Astros-Rangers series momentum.
Alvarez entered the July 12 game preview as the AL home run leader with 31 homers. The two-run shot (31) came in the sixth inning of a 5-3 Astros win.
MLB Data Viz shows launch angle at 26 degrees, exit velocity of 112.4 mph, and trajectory peaking at 85 feet. The ball landed in the second deck of Globe Life Field’s right-field stands.
Alvarez’s season average exit velocity is 108.3 mph. This hit exceeded it by 4.1 mph. In the 2023 ALCS against Texas, he posted a .294 average with two homers in seven games.
“That ball had no doubt,” Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron said postgame. “Distance and timing — you can’t script a bigger swing in July.”
The July 12 preview from MLB Stories highlighted Alvarez’s 31st homer and the Astros’ first-half finish. Houston sat 2.5 games up on Texas in the AL West entering the contest.
The blast influenced the July 12 pitching matchup. The Rangers scratched right-hander Jon Gray, replacing him with lefty Andrew Heaney to counter Alvarez. Heaney holds a .190 batting average against lefties in 2026.
Yahoo Sports clip of the two-run homer generated 1.2 million views in 24 hours. Fan comments on the video described it as “the turning point of the series.”
The Astros-Rangers rivalry dates to 2013. Recent clashes include the 2023 ALCS, won by Houston in seven games. Alvarez’s 425-foot hit mirrors his 2023 ALCS Game 6 home run that traveled 420 feet.
“This one stings more than a playoff loss,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “Regular season or not, that kind of blast changes a clubhouse.”
Alvarez now has 14 career home runs against Texas. The 425-foot blast is his longest at Globe Life Field since a 431-foot shot on June 8, 2024.
The July 12 game ended 6-4 Astros. Alvarez went 1-for-3 with a walk. Houston took a 3.5-game lead in the division.
Alvarez’s 425-foot home run was a statement of dominance. It will fuel the rivalry for the rest of the 2026 season. Watch the MLB Data Viz video to see the full trajectory.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: What was the distance of Yordan Alvarez’s home run on July 11, 2026?
- A: The home run traveled 425 feet, landing in the second deck of Globe Life Field’s right-field stands.
- Q: How did Alvarez’s home run impact the Astros-Rangers series?
- A: The blast shifted series momentum, leading the Rangers to replace starter Jon Gray with lefty Andrew Heaney. It also generated 1.2 million views on Yahoo Sports and was called ‘the turning point of the series’ by fans.
Extended Reading
For the complete MLB Data Viz breakdown of Alvarez’s 425-foot home run, visit: https://www.mlb.com/astros/video/data-viz-yordan-alvarez-s-425-foot-home-run
Game preview details for July 12, 2026 are available at: https://www.mlb.com/stories/game-preview/822876
Yahoo Sports video of the home run: https://sports.yahoo.com/videos/yordan-alvarezs-two-run-homer-231116747.html