Yordan Alvarez gave the Triple Crown chase a real jolt against the Seattle Mariners, and the Astros slugger now has at least a pulse in two of the three categories that matter most.
Alvarez opened the scoring with a single that brought Jeremy Pena home from second, pushing him to 100 RBI on the season and giving his batting average another boost. Later, he kept the damage coming with a two-run homer, raising his RBI total to 103 and moving him into a tie for the major league home run lead with Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays.
That leaves the RBI race as the toughest climb. Alvarez is six behind Pete Alonso with five games left, which makes the finish line feel awfully tight.
He can’t control everything, though, and intentional walks have been a big part of the equation. Alvarez was intentionally walked in the game, and the free pass was another reminder of how often pitchers have simply chosen not to let him swing.
He has already broken the Astros’ single-season record for intentional walks, surpassing Jeff Bagwell’s mark of 27 from 1997 and reaching 33.
That matters because those walks strip away chances to add RBI or home runs. The last two Triple Crown winners, Miguel Cabrera in 2012 and Carl Yastrzemski in 1967, were intentionally walked 17 times and 11 times, respectively.
They also hit primarily third in the order, while Alvarez bats second. That spot gives him more plate appearances over the course of a season, but it also changes the flow of his RBI opportunities, especially early in games when runners are already aboard.
Even with the Triple Crown looking like a steep hill to climb, Alvarez has another milestone within reach. He needs 12 times on base over his final five games to get to 300 for the season, which would make him the fourth different Astro to reach that mark. Bagwell did it four times, while Craig Biggio and Lance Berkman each got there once.
So the rarest prize may still be a long shot. But Alvarez’s numbers keep him in the conversation, and Astros fans have plenty to watch down the stretch.
He is chasing history in one lane, and he still has a team goal that would mean even more. As the source put it, “However, you can be sure that Yordan would take a division crown over the triple crown any day.”
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Astros Just Cast New Doubt On Jorge Barrosas Roster Future
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Barrosa has spent parts of seven minor league seasons in pro ball, and his path now feels pointed toward another reset. He appeared in four games for Houston this season, but unless the Astros bring him back onto the 40-man roster before the end of the MLB season, he will be eligible for minor league free agency and is expected to look for a minor league deal this offseason. [Read more 🡒]