Yordan Alvarez is chasing a feat that in many ways is old school, but is still regarded as one of the pinnacles of hitting achievement in Major League Baseball.
The Houston Astros slugger has a chance to win the American League Triple Crown by leading the league in batting average, home runs and RBI.
With just more than a week left in the season, it’s far from a given. Alvarez has competition in all three categories.
But if he closes on a hot streak, Alvarez has a chance. And if he pulls it off, that’d be quite the feat.
The last player to win the Triple Crown in the AL was Miguel Cabrera in 2012 for the Tigers. Before that, you have to go all the way back to 1967, when Carl Yastrzemski did it for the Red Sox.
Can Alvarez join the club? This is what he’s up against, with all starts through Thursday, Sept. 17.
AL Batting Average Leaders
Alvarez is in a two-man race here with Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson.
Simpson is in no other way a similar hitter to Alvarez. He’s a speedster who hasn’t hit a single home run this season.
But entering play on Sept. 18, both have their batting average round to .311.
Winning the batting title in the AL is simple math for Alvarez. He has to hit better in the final 10 days of the season than Simpson.
They do it quite differently, which makes the whole thing even more fascinating, but it’s just them in the race.
The third-place batting average in the AL is down at .295 with Simpson’s Rays teammate Yandy Diaz.
AL Home Run Leaders
Alvarez is in second place in the AL home run rankings through Sept. 17.
The big lefty has hit 40 home runs. In first place is the Rays’ Junior Caminero, who has 41.
This isn’t quite a two-horse race, depending on how hot a couple others get down the stretch. Yankees slugger Ben Rice has 38 home runs, and Orioles new guy Pete Alonso has 37.
It seems most likely to come down to Alvarez and Caminero, but it feels like all four of these players are still in play for the home run crown.
AL RBI Leaders
Alvarez has just a bit of work to do here.
Pete Alonso holds the American League lead with 102 RBI.
Alvarez is in second place at 99.
Caminero is still in the picture, too, with 96. Both Jo Adell and Ben Rice are probably just out of it at 92.
None of these guys would be leading in the NL, where Alec Burleson is tops with 111. But in the American League, Alvarez can still chase down the RBI title, too.
And not that it matters for the Triple Crown, but Alvarez is trying to lead the AL in walks. He has 103, ahead of Mike Trout and Taylor Ward, who each have 99.
How Astros’ Yordan Alvarez Can Win Triple Crown