Yordan Alvarez Wins the Batting Title (.316) but Falls One Homer and Seven RBIs Short of the Triple Crown
The chase that ran all September ended with history and heartbreak. Yordan Alvarez won the AL batting title at .316 — the best average in all of Major League Baseball — but Pete Alonso denied him the Triple Crown, beating him in both remaining categories. Per the Yahoo/Roundtable recap: "Alvarez came close, but Orioles slugger Pete Alonso beat him out in home runs and RBIs in the American League. Alonso ended the season with 43 home runs and 113 RBIs, making him the first player in MLB history to win an RBI title in both leagues, having previously led the National League with the Mets. Alvarez was close behind with 42 home runs and 106 RBIs."
The batting title is still franchise history: at .316, Alvarez became "just the third Astro ever to win a batting title, joining Jose Altuve and Yuli Gurriel." His final line — .316/.432/.601, 1.033 OPS (second in the AL), 42 HR, 106 RBI in 158 games (he sat out just four all year) — makes him the clear AL MVP favorite alongside Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler in a rare DH-vs-pitcher debate. A minor ankle issue down the stretch, plus hard-charging competitors, closed the Triple Crown door; a 12-game hitting streak wasn't enough to bridge the gap.
The rest of the final leaderboard: Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Schwarber shared the MLB home run lead at 45; Alec Burleson led baseball with 116 RBI; Gabriel Moreno (.311) took the NL batting title; and Milwaukee's Jacob Misiorowski led the majors in both ERA and strikeouts. The Alonso subplot stings in New York — Mets president David Stearns, a day after the Mets finished last in the NL East for the first time in 23 years, on letting Alonso walk: "In this job, I don't get mulligans."
Alvarez's reward: a Wild Card date with the White Sox — the same series in which Houston's own fans booed the Astros (see ALCS Chaos: Rain Washes Out Game 4 as Guardians Lead Rays 2-1; Brewers Rest While World Series Waits), with Houston now one loss from elimination.