The Astros' best position player right now may have played just five games.
Yordan Alvarez, a 21-year-old left fielder/designated hitter, went 3 for 4 with his fourth home run of the season in a 7-2 victory over the Blue Jays on Saturday.
He has played just five games but has instantly become Houston's most feared batter as he is hitting .471 with eight hits and six walks in 17 at-bats.
His latest homer got out in about two seconds while flying into the second deck at Minute Maid Park and going an estimated 439 feet.
Yordan Alvarez's at-bats are becoming must-watch TV. pic.twitter.com/j9zMlueWVP
— MLB (@MLB) June 15, 2019
Alvarez is just the fourth batter since at least 1908 to hit four home runs in his first five career games, according to ESPN Stats and Info. Only Rockies shortstop Trevor Story has hit more home runs in that span (6).
Houston is without three of its best position players right now as George Springer (hamstring), Jose Altuve (knee) and Carlos Correa (rib) are all currently on the injured list. But since Alvarez came up five games ago, their absences haven't much mattered.
The Astros are 4-1 in those games while scoring 39 runs. Alvarez has accounted for 16 of those with either RBIs or runs scored.
That Josh Fields trade is started to look really bad for the Dodgers right now.
Studs of the Night
Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed finished a home run short of the cycle going 4 for 5 with an RBI and two runs scored in Arizona's 10-3 win over the Nationals.
Giants catcher Stephen Vogt went 3 for 4 and accomplished the rare feat of hitting two triples in San Francisco's 8-7 win over the Brewers.
Mets left fielder J.D. Davis went 4 for 5 and finished a triple shy of the cycle in an 8-7 win over the Cardinals.
Dud of the Night
Neither the Mariners' opener nor their follower worked Saturday. Gerson Bautista gave up three earned runs in 2/3 of an inning while Wade LeBlanc allowed six in 2 2/3 innings in an 11-2 loss to the Athletics.
Highlight
Indians outfielder Leonys Martin pulled off the rare straight steal of home in a 4-2 win over the Tigers.
They don’t see him! I don’t believe it! He’s stealing home! He’s stealing home and they don’t see him! I don’t believe it! pic.twitter.com/JFZmfsKYZ0
— MLB (@MLB) June 16, 2019
What's Next
Cubs (39-31) at Dodgers (47-24), 7 p.m. ET — It's a nice little battle of lefties as Hyun-Jin Ryu (9-1, 1.36 ERA) takes on Jose Quintana (4-6, 3.89) at Dodger Stadium. It will be a tough ask for the Cubs to win this game though as — apart from a six-game losing streak in May — Los Angeles has lost back-to-back games just three times this year. They've done it once at home including the losing streak.