Yordan Alvarez's historic performance for Astros garners huge praise from Jose Altuve - "Probably the best hitter in baseball right now"

The Houston Astros made giant strides towards clinching the ALDS after pumping a 9-1 victory against the Minnesota Twins on the back of Yordan Alvarez's red-hot streak in Game 3 of the series.

The defending World Series champions were quick off the blocks against the Twins. Kyle Tucker's RBI single was followed by Jose Abreu's three-run homer, opening a 4-0 lead for the Astros in the first inning of the game.

Astros' lead was further extended by Yordan Alvarez, as the 2019 AL Rookie of the Year smashed a solo homer in the ninth innings. It was Alvarez's fourth home run of the series.

The 26-year-old's performance from the plate drew compliments from his senior teammate and star slugger Jose Altuve, who reckoned Alvarez is one of the best hitters in the MLB:

"Probably the best hitter in baseball right now. The way he hit, his approach, his discipline on the home plate. It seems like he wants to hit it out everytime."

Yordan Alvarez's record-setting night receives plaudits from Dusty Baker

Alvarez finished with 31 home runs and 97 RBI during the regular season which saw the Astros topple the Texas Rangers in a dramatic finish to the AL West. However, it's his postseason form that has caught the eyes of the fans and experts alike.

"Yordan Alvarez’s 4 HR are tied for 3rd-most in a best-of-5 postseason series."

Astros manager Dusty Baker was impressed by the slugger's continued heroics from the plate and shed light on his approach during the business end of the season:

“He thrives on the big moment, and they did pitch him well,” Baker said. “But if you can hit, you can hit. There aren't a whole bunch of hitters around, but he's one of the top hitters in baseball, and he has a tremendous amount of concentration. He has a very short stroke to be such a big man. I mean, most big men have longer swings. He's very quiet and confident.”