Can Astros' Yordan Alvarez Hold Onto Triple Crown After Breaking Career Home Run Mark?

The biggest story regarding the Houston Astros this season, besides the team's latest run for the American League West division title, has obviously been the year that slugger Yordan Alvarez has been having.

It's no secret that Alvarez has cooled off from his torrid pace to history over the past month, but he's still currently holding the Triple Crown in the AL. The margin has gotten very slim, and Alvarez will need to find a way to get back to what he was doing during the peak summer months in order to retain control for the rest of the season and ultimately win this incredible achievement.

Alvarez has been the best hitter in baseball this season and has finally gotten the credit and recognition he deserves for being one of the best hitters in the game since he entered the league in 2019.

This has been a huge season for the 29-year-old, and it seems quite certain that he'll walk away with the AL MVP at the end of the year. The Triple Crown has also been in his possession for almost the entire year, but he's barely hanging on at the moment. Given how long he's held the lead in batting average, RBI and home runs, it would be disappointing for him to not end up winning it.

Alvarez just hit his 38th home run of the season on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, which is a new career high. He broke his previous highest mark of 37 homers back in the 2022 World Series title season. The Las Tunas, a Cuban native, initially looked on pace for 50 home runs earlier in the year, but getting to 40 for the first time in his career would still be a special mark to hit.

WHO'S YORDADDY!#ChaseTheFight x @Phillips66Co pic.twitter.com/znqk5OXuRC
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 6, 2026

That 38th home run put him back in possession of the Triple Crown. Can Alvarez hold on?

Alvarez Battling to Hold Onto the Triple Crown

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez strikes out to end the game during the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Alvarez's 38 homers are currently tied for first in the AL with Tampa Bay Rays star Junior Caminero. At this time, Alvarez's 95 RBIs are also tied for first with Baltimore Orioles veteran Pete Alonso. The four-time All-Star is in control of batting average with a .314 mark as of Monday.

The next closest in average is Chandler Simpson of the Rays at .308. It's definitely possible for Alvarez to hold onto the crown given what he's been capable of this season, but it won't be easy now. It initially looked like Alvarez could cruise into a Triple Crown given the kind of pace and lead he had, but that's no longer the case.

Caminero is a strong home run hitter, and Alvarez will have to keep pace after only hitting two homers in the entire month of August. Alvarez should likely hold onto the RBIs given that he's still produced when needed at the plate with runners in position.

The .314 average is the lowest for Alvarez since July 11. The home runs will still be the most challenging to hold onto, but the 6-foot-4, 237-pound designated hitter is more than capable.

If Alvarez can return to how he was hitting in July, he should be able to win the first Triple Crown since Miguel Cabrera in 2012. There's a reason why nobody has won it over the past 13 years. Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge have gotten awfully close, but couldn't close the deal.

Alvarez still has a real chance with just over two weeks of the season left. He does lead the AL in multiple other categories, such as OBP (.432), SLG (.599), OPS (1.031) and BB (99).

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