Yordan Alvarez is likely going to win the American League MVP award.
For a while, too, it seemed like the Houston Astros‘ superstar could also win the Triple Crown by leading the AL in batting average, home runs and RBI.
In a way, the Triple Crown is quite the old-school metric — both batting average and RBI have fallen somewhat out of favor in favor of more modern stats.
But it’s still an incredible rarity to have a Triple Crown winner. Only one AL player has done it in the last half-century — Miguel Cabrera for the Tigers.
So the fact that Alvarez was chasing the feat was something incredible in and of itself.
The final day of the MLB regular season arrives Sunday, and the Astros are playing in Sacramento against the A’s.
It’s a huge game for the Astros, who are playing for their playoff lives.
And while it has become less likely, Alvarez still has an outside shot at the Triple Crown.
AL Batting Average Leaders
Alvarez looks to have locked up the AL batting crown.
He enters the final day of the season hitting .316.
In second place is the Rays‘ speedster Chandler Simpson, at .306.
They were each at .309 about a week ago, but Alvarez has finished strong.
They’re the only two hitters in the AL above .300 — third-place Yandy Diaz, also of the Rays, is at .293.
AL Home Run Leaders
The AL is led in home runs by Orioles slugger Pete Alonso, with 43. He has closed the season on fire.
Alvarez is in second, with 42.
He’s tied in second place with Junior Caminero of the Rays.
The Yankees‘ Ben Rice is in fourth at 41 homers.
Alvarez would have to slug a couple of homers out of the ballpark in Sacramento on Sunday — and it’s a favorable spot for that, an incredibly hitter-friendly abode.
AL RBI Leaders
This is where it’ll be toughest for Alvarez.
Alonso enters the day with 113 RBI to lead the league.
Alvarez is in second place, with 105.
Caminero is in third with 101.
It wouldn’t be impossible for Alvarez to have a nine-RBI day — the single-game MLB record is 12.
It’d still be a massive output, though. He does find himself in the ballpark to do it, and the game does matter for the Astros, and if he also needs to hit a couple home runs to pass Alonso, the RBI would go hand in hand.
It’s a longshot, to be sure, but not impossible.
Astros Playoff Scenarios
The Astros also need to win this game on Sunday.
If they win, they make the playoffs as the AL West Division champion.
If they lose, they only get in if the Texas Rangers lose to the Minnesota Twins. An Astros loss coupled with a Rangers win sends Houston home for the winter.
How Yordan Alvarez Can Win Triple Crown For Astros