The Tampa Bay Rays are a team many people are watching down the stretch of the 2026 regular season.
They are looking to hold off the New York Yankees in the American League East, currently holding a four-game lead entering play on Sept. 9. Also, everyone will be watching a trio of Rays players because they are the only thing standing between Yordan Alvarez and MLB history.
The Houston Astros star has been incredible at the plate this season. Through 143 games and 628 plate appearances, he has a .311/.428/.593 slash line with 38 home runs and 95 RBI, proving once again that when he is healthy, he is arguably the most complete slugger in baseball.
Given his all-around prowess and good health in 2026, Alvarez has put himself in a position to win the Triple Crown in the American League. The last Triple Crown winner was Miguel Cabrera with the Detroit Tigers in 2012.
Yordan Alvarez has real chance at Triple Crown
Sep 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) bats during the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It has been accomplished 12 times by 10 different players since RBI became an official stat in 1920. The only players to do it twice are Ted Williams and Rogers Hornsby. The Astros star has put himself in a position to join that list with his incredible production this season.
However, third baseman Junior Caminero, designated hitter Yandy Diaz and left fielder Chandler Simpson are going to make him earn the Triple Crown this year.
Caminero, who burst onto the scene with 45 home runs in 2025, is currently leading the AL with 39 long balls, one ahead of Alvarez. The slugging third baseman is also putting some heat on him in the RBI race with 93. Houston’s star currently has 95, which puts him two behind Pete Alonso of the Baltimore Orioles, who has 97.
He has a ways to go to lead the MLB, with Sal Stewart of the Cincinnati Reds leading the sport with 107.
A-Town takeoff ✈️
No. 39 on the season for Cami! pic.twitter.com/purCv4Lur9
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) September 8, 2026
Alvarez currently leads the AL in batting average with .311, but that race is far from over. There are only seven players in the MLB who have a batting average of at least .300 this year, and two of them are on Tampa Bay.
Simpson has a .307 batting average, and Diaz is right behind him at .306, ranking third and fourth in baseball and second and third in the AL, right on Alvarez’s heels. The league leader in batting average is Luis Arraez, who was traded from the San Francisco Giants to the Philadelphia Phillies ahead of the deadline.
It will be fascinating to see how things turn out in the Triple Crown race. Should Caminero be able to hold off Alvarez in the home run race and chase him down in RBIs, his MVP case would get a whole lot stronger.
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