The Houston Astros are rolling through their series against the Boston Red Sox, taking a commanding 2-0 lead at home after blowout wins of 8-1 and 9-2.
Yordan Alvarez has been the catalyst for Houston’s offensive explosion. The slugger is off to a scorching start this season with a 1.440 OPS through six games, but that’s just scratching the surface of what makes his performance against Boston so remarkable.
Here’s the thing about Alvarez and the Red Sox – he absolutely owns them. And we’re not talking about a small sample size either.
Yordan Alvarez career vs. Red Sox (including postseason): 46-112 (.411 BA), 10 HR, 31 RBI, Highest OPS of any player in MLB history vs. Red Sox. (min 100 PAs)
That stat comes from Underdog MLB, and it’s worth unpacking. Alvarez is carrying a ridiculous 1.244 OPS against Boston when you combine regular season and postseason numbers. That was before his latest home run in the March 31st game, so the number has only gotten better.
What makes this different is the sustained excellence. Alvarez has been doing this since his 2019 debut, building a resume that includes three All-Star selections and a reputation as one of the game’s premier lefty power hitters.
Let’s put the regular season numbers in perspective. Across 109 plate appearances against the Red Sox, Alvarez has racked up 34 hits, 20 runs scored, nine doubles, nine home runs, 25 RBIs, and 14 walks. That translates to a .382 batting average and a 1.264 OPS.
That 1.264 OPS represents his best mark against any team he’s faced at least 50 times in his career. The only better number on his resume is a 1.541 OPS against another opponent, but that’s over just 33 plate appearances.
From where I’m sitting, this puts Alvarez in some rarified air. His success rate against the Red Sox actually tops what Babe Ruth managed against them over their respective careers. Now that’s saying something.
All things considered, these numbers will likely regress as Alvarez faces more Boston pitching over the years. But right now, he’s authored one of the most dominant individual matchups in recent memory.
The way I see it, this series is just the latest chapter in what’s become a pretty one-sided rivalry between Alvarez and Red Sox pitching. With one game left in this set, Boston’s going to need answers fast if they want to avoid the sweep.
