Twenty games remain in the Houston Astros’ regular season, and Yordan Alvarez is still in position to do something Major League Baseball hasn’t seen in 14 years.
Alvarez enters Saturday leading the American League with a .316 batting average and tied for the league lead in both home runs and RBIs. He and Junior Caminero have 37 home runs apiece, while Alvarez and Pete Alonso are tied with 94 RBIs.
No player has won a Triple Crown since Miguel Cabrera led the American League in batting average, home runs, and RBIs in 2012. With three weeks remaining, Alvarez has a legitimate opportunity to become the first since Cabrera—and only the second since 1967.
Alvarez Strengthens His Batting Average Lead
The batting title currently provides Alvarez with his most comfortable margin.
His .316 average leads the AL. Alvarez went 2-for-4 in Friday night’s 3-1 win over Arizona, collecting singles in the third and fifth innings and scoring on Jose Altuve’s sacrifice fly.
That two-hit night came after Alvarez went hitless in Thursday’s series finale against the White Sox and helped him maintain his advantage in the batting race.
Caminero Keeps the Home Run Race Tight
Home runs remain the closest—and perhaps most volatile—part of the Triple Crown chase.
Alvarez and Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero are tied for the AL lead with 37 apiece.
Alvarez hasn’t homered since Aug. 29, when he hit No. 37 against the Mets. His next home run would establish a new career high; his current total matches the 37 he hit in 2022.
With Houston playing 20 more games, the home run race could ultimately determine whether the Triple Crown remains possible into the season’s final days.
Alonso Pulls Even in RBIs
There is now company at the top of the RBI leaderboard as well.
Alonso has reached 94 RBIs, tying Alvarez for the AL lead. Caminero sits six behind them with 88.
Alvarez hasn’t driven in a run in Houston’s last three games, although he scored Friday after reaching third on Isaac Paredes’ RBI double.
That makes the RBI race considerably tighter than it was just a few days ago—and gives Alvarez two categories in which virtually every game could alter the standings.
A Triple Crown Race and a Division Race
Alvarez’s individual pursuit is unfolding while the Astros have created a little more room in their own race.
Houston’s 3-1 victory over Arizona on Friday improved the Astros to 73-69. With Texas also losing Friday night, Houston’s lead in the AL West increased to three games with 20 remaining. The Astros have won three straight and seven of their last nine.
That puts Alvarez in the unusual position of chasing one of baseball’s rarest individual accomplishments while playing meaningful games every night for a team trying to secure a division championship.
For now, all three pieces of the Triple Crown remain within reach:
Batting average: Alvarez .316
Home runs: Alvarez 37, Caminero 37
RBIs: Alvarez 94, Alonso 94, Caminero 88
For Alvarez, the mathematics are suddenly very simple: one batting lead, two dead heats, and three weeks to settle them.
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