09/27/26 09:18:00
Printable Page
09/27 21:17 CDT Alvarez and Moreno win batting titles, Misiorowski leads majors
in ERA and strikeouts
Alvarez and Moreno win batting titles, Misiorowski leads majors in ERA and
strikeouts
By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- Houston's Yordan Alvarez and Arizona's Gabriel Moreno won
their first batting titles Sunday, while Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski became
just the fourth pitcher since 1950 to lead the majors in ERA, strikeouts and
opponents' batting average.
Alvarez's .316 average was the lowest for the overall major league batting
champion, below the previous mark of .325 by Dick Groat for the Pittsburgh
Pirates in 1960. Alvarez had the lowest for an AL winner since Carl
Yastrzemski's .301 in 1968.
"The batting title was something I always wanted," Alvarez said.
Moreno edged Philadelphia's Luis Arraez for the NL crown and became only the
fifth player with at least 50 starts at catcher to win a batting championship,
according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He joined Bubbles Hargrave (1926), Ernie
Lombardi (1938, ?42), Buster Posey (2012) and Joe Mauer (2006, '08, '09).
Moreno, Arizona's first batting champion, was scratched from the starting
lineup Sunday because of a tender hamstring and he finished at .311, one
percentage point above Arraez. A three-time batting champion, Arraez sprained
an ankle Thursday and missed the Phillies' last regular-season series.
"It's something that you dream when you're playing baseball since you're 3
years old, 4 years old," Moreno said.
Seven qualified big leaguers hit .300 or better, matching 2024 and 2025 for the
fewest since a record-low six in 1968. Colorado's TJ Rumfield reached .300 with
a first-inning single Saturday, was removed in the second and didn't play
Sunday.
Misiorowski finished with 252 strikeouts, a 1.80 ERA and an opponents' batting
average of .157. The only other pitchers since 1950 to lead the major leagues
in all three categories were Sandy Koufax in 1965, J.R. Richard in 1979 and
Mike Scott in 1986, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Misiorowski's opponents' batting average was the lowest since 1900 for an AL or
NL pitcher with 100 or more innings, bettering Pedro Martinez's .167 in 2000,
Elias said. His 0.80 WHIP was the lowest for pitchers with at least 150 innings
since Martinez's 0.73 in 2000.
Misiorowski threw 1,115 pitches 100 mph or faster, most in a season since
tracking started in 2008. He shattered the prior mark of 673 by Jordan Hicks in
2018.
"Honestly, being able to go in week in and week out and perform for my
teammates, I think that's the biggest thing," Misiorowski said.
Cam Schlittler of the New York Yankees won the AL ERA title at 1.95 and had a
1.16 ERA on the road, the third-lowest in the Live Ball era for a pitcher with
100 or more innings behind Bob Gibson's 0.81 in 1968 and Greg Maddux's 1.12 in
1995.
Houston set a record for lowest winning percentage by a first-place team at
.500 with an 81-81 mark that won the AL West.
Colson Montgomery of the Chicago White Sox set the season record for strikeouts
by a batter with 227, four more than Mark Reynolds in 2009.
Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber tied
for the home run lead with 45. Pete Alonso topped the AL with 43 after leaving
the New York Mets as a free agent to sign with the Orioles.
Alec Burleson of St. Louis led the NL in RBIs with 116 and Alonso topped the AL
with 113, becoming the first player to win an RBI title in both leagues. Alonso
paced the NL with 131 in 2022 for the Mets.
Pittsburgh's Bryan Reynolds had the most doubles with 40 and Boston's Wilyer
Abreu led the AL with 38.
Corbin Carroll became the first player to lead his league in triples in four
straight seasons, hitting 17 for the Diamondbacks. Minnesota's Kody Clemens had
seven triples, the fewest for an AL leader in a non-shortened season.
Washington's Nasim Nuez led the major leagues with 49 stolen bases, and Tampa
Bay's Chandler Simpson topped the AL with 46.
Philadelphia's Cristopher Snchez and Boston's Sonny Gray tied for the lead
with 18 wins. There have not been any 20-game winners since Atlanta's Spencer
Strider in 2023. The only other non-shortened seasons without a 20-game winner
were 1871, 2006, 2009 and 2017.
Cleveland's Gavin Williams led the AL with 248 strikeouts.
Tampa Bay's Bryan Baker and Cleveland's Cade Smith tied for most saves with 41,
while San Diego's Mason Miller and St. Louis' Riley O'Brien led the NL with 38
each.
___
AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham and AP freelance writers Adam Camarena and Matt
Carlson contributed to this report.
___
See AP's full MLB coverage here
|
