Yordan Alvarez is on the verge of something so ridiculously rare in MLB history that only two players have ever pulled it off before. We’re talking about joining legends Roger Hornsby and Carl Yastrzemski in a club so exclusive it’s got velvet ropes and a secret handshake, and this dude has a real shot at it right now. The Astros are sitting atop the AL West, even after a rough start, and Alvarez is a massive reason why, playing at an MVP level.
Unlocking the Ten-Category Club
According to Jayson Stark from The Athletic, when this week started, Alvarez was leading the American League in ten major categories. Think about that for a second: 10! We’re talking Batting Average, Homers, RBIs, On Base Percentage (OBP), Slugging Percentage (SLG), On Base Plus Slugging (OPS), Runs, Hits, Times on Base, and Total Bases. Stark points out that going back to 1920, when the RBI became an official stat, only Hornsby and Yastrzemski have ever led their respective leagues in all ten of those categories in a single season. Alvarez is currently, as of Thursday, August 20, leading the AL in homers with 36, RBIs with 88, batting average at .317, OBP at .430, SLG at .610, OPS at 1.040, total bases with 277, and times on base. That’s a serious stat line, folks.
The Grind for the Finish Line
While Alvarez is absolutely crushing it and is a major frontrunner in the AL MVP race, not to mention having a really good chance to snag the AL Triple Crown, he’s still got some work to do for this epic 10-category feat. He actually lost the lead in a couple of key categories. Miguel Vargas is ahead in runs scored with 86, while Alvarez is right behind him at 83. That’s super close, so he can definitely catch Vargas. Hits is an even tighter race, with Yandy Diaz at 146 and Alvarez at 144. Two measly hits? That’s definitely make-up-able between August 20 and the end of the season. Alvarez has to keep grinding to reclaim those leads, but if he does, it will be another insane highlight in what’s already shaping up to be an all-time season for him in MLB history. He can absolutely do this.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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