Historic Chases · 2026-04-22 RECONSTRUCTED

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Nightly briefing

Baseball last night

Games of 2026-04-22

No history was made last night, but the box scores still talked: Spencer Torkelson hit his first home run of the season — in his game No. 24 ▶︎ watch; Michael Busch hit his first home run of the season — in his game No. 23 ▶︎ watch.

Yordan Alvarez has 74 total bases — projecting to 461, +1 vs Babe Ruth's 457 pace. Needs 276 more to reach 350.

Andy Pages sits at .353 — the last .400 season was Ted Williams in 1941.

The so-what: Oneil Cruz is on a 40/40 pace — 7 HR and 10 SB, projecting to 47/68. Only five players have ever done it: Canseco, Bonds, A-Rod, Soriano, and Ohtani. Neither half carries it alone; the season has to finish on both.

History movers: Yordan Alvarez, after homering — Triple Crown (MLB); Total Bases: 74 now, pace 461, record 457 (Babe Ruth, 1921).

Lines of the night: Nolan Arenado — a bench bat with 22 games played — went a perfect 4-for-4 ▶︎ watch; Patrick Bailey hit his first home run of the season — in his game No. 19 ▶︎ watch.

Sweep watch: the Cubs swept the Phillies (3 games) — their 2nd sweep in 6 days. Our game-by-game record starts 2026-03-25, so that is a floor, not a season total.

That morning's stakes

What we were watching

MUST TRACK: Oneil Cruz is on a 40/40 pace — 7 HR / 10 SB, projecting to 47/68. Every game matters from here.

On this date in 1993, Chris Bosio of the Mariners threw a no-hitter.

30/30 watch: Oneil Cruz sits at 7 HR / 10 SB — 23 homers and 20 steals short of a 30/30 season, projecting to 47/68.

Historical intelligence

How the night stacked up

Pace through history

Yordan Alvarez versus the great home-run seasons

Yordan Alvarez has 11 home runs through 26 team games, 1 behind Barry Bonds's 2001 pace at the same checkpoint (12). Comparable chases finished with a median of 36 (95% CI 34-38); 7.6% reached 50 (4.8-11.6% at 95% confidence), from 238 comparable seasons.

Retrosheet · verified play-by-play

If the pace holds

A projected top-1 season

If Taylor Ward finishes at the current projection of 84, it would be the most doubles in any season since 1901 — no season on record has finished higher.

SABR Lahman Baseball Database · through 2025

Franchise pressure

A franchise record is under pressure

The single-season record is 52 home runs, set by George Foster in 1977. Sal Stewart projects to 52 and would tie it.

SABR Lahman Baseball Database · through 2025

Only X seasons ever

Yordan Alvarez is building a rare combination

At his current pace, Yordan Alvarez would reach at least 60 HR, and 150 RBI. Only 3 completed seasons in the configured historical cohort reached every mark. The recent company includes Sammy Sosa (2001), Sammy Sosa (1998), Babe Ruth (1927).

SABR Lahman Baseball Database · through 2025

Closest to .400