Yordan Alvarez Builds His Legend With Incredible Flu Game, But the Astros Are Threatening to Turn Him Into Jerry West

HOUSTON — Every swing Yordan Alvarez takes is packed with meaning, powered by the possibility that he’s about to transform a game. Or maybe The Game itself. For the Houston Astros’ 26-year-old star is swinging on a higher plane this postseason, showing the baseball world that he is the best hitter on the planet. Alvarez is  up to six home runs in six playoff games this October and that doesn’t even begin to describe the fear factor he brings to the plate.

Opposing pitchers are like the helpless scientists in a Godzilla movie tasked with containing a rampaging monster whose powers they don’t even quite fully understand when facing Alvarez.

“Try and make sure no one’s on base in front of him,” Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim tells PaperCity when asked for a good Yordan strategy.

Well. . . yes, there is that. The underdog Rangers are up 2-0 in this all-Texas American League Championship Series even with Yordan Alvarez running amok because they’re threatening to turn him into Jerry West. West is the NBA icon, The Logo himself, known for putting up brilliant individual performances in agonizing team losses. He’s the only guy to ever win Finals MVP while playing on the losing team. Before HBO’s Winning Time turned him into a caricature, Jerry West lived a playing career of largely unsatisfying spectacular individual moments.

The Astros cannot let Yordan became a baseball Jerry West in this ALCS. If it keeps up like this, the Astros star will be like LeBron James scoring 51 points against the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals. . . and still losing the game and getting blown out in the series. For like with LeBron on that fateful June day, almost everyone leaves Minute Maid Park talking about Yordan Alvarez after Game 2 of this ALCS.

Even with the Rangers winning 5-4, holding on with the skill of Tom Cruise dangling off a cliff by his fingernails in a Mission Impossible movie. For Yordan hits two home runs in the game, the second time he’s done that this postseason. This time, it happens with the Astros star fighting a virus and some barking body ailments that threatened to drain his energy.

If you love baseball, Yordan Alvarez’s game is buzzier than a Taylor Swift Saturday Night Live drop in.

“He’s been incredible,” Astros third baseman Alex Bregman says of Yordan. “He’s a big-time player. He’s huge for us.”

But he still cannot lift the Astros to the win. Not with Framber Valdez, Houston’s should be second ace, putting the first five Rangers he faces on base, dropping the Astros into a 4-0 hole before they ever take a swing of their own. Not with Kyle Tucker mired in a 2-for-22 postseason, having put up zero home runs and one RBI in the Astros’ six playoff games. Not with Astros Twitter’s chosen saint Yainer Diaz now 0 for 10 in the playoffs. Not with the all-time greatest Astro Jose Altuve not having recorded a home run or a single RBI since his first at-bat of the playoffs against the Twins.

Yes, this Astros’ lineup is threatening to crumble around Yordan. That’s something Jerry West could relate to — and then some.

“It sucks,” Astros centerfielder Chas McCormick says. “It sucks. Personally, I had two chances tonight to help the team win and I’m swinging at fucking balls. So I gotta figure it out. Not to swing at everything.”

McCormick isn’t the only Astros who is left as vainly chasing at shadows as a puppy who’s been faked out by a pretend tennis ball throw on this Monday night.

This does not have to be the way it ends for the defending world champion Astros though. Not with Cristian Javier, who’s arguably been Houston’s best pitcher in the last two postseasons, set to start Wednesday night’s Game 3 in the Rangers’ spaceship worthy ballpark. These Astros have proven they know how to pick themselves up off the mat like few other teams in modern sports.

Rocky would love this team. And the Rangers would be crazy to relax at all. There is plenty of series left in this Buc-ee’s Cup of an ALCS. The best hitter in baseball is sure of that himself.

“You know, we’ve done it in the past,” Yordan Alvarez says in Spanish with Astros interpreter Jenloy Herrera translating the big man’s words. “We’ve done it in the past. And one thing I like about our guys is they don’t feel panic.

“There’s no panic here. No. None.”

The Astros cannot let Yordan became a baseball Jerry West in this ALCS. If it keeps up like this, the Astros star will be like LeBron James scoring 51 points against the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals. . . and still losing the game and getting blown out in the series.

The Astros are going to need more than solo home runs to get it done though. Alvarez blasts two of those into the right field stands in this Game 2, but he needs his buddies to come through now. Solo brilliance becomes lonely after a while. Just ask Jerry West. Being the guy everyone’s oohing and aahing while your team loses the biggest games of all is no fun.

Of course, there are some good baseball examples too. Astros manager Dusty Baker once watched Barry Bonds rampage through a postseason to the tune of eight home runs, 16 RBI and 27 walks. And still lose the World Series.

Feats like Yordan’s have been wasted before.

“We’ve got to play with some urgency,” McCormick says. “We have been playing with urgency. But we need to capitalize more and take advantage of our chances.”

The Yordan Factor

Playing with the best hitter in baseball is a priceless opportunity of its own. These Astros have the ultimate trump card in Yordan Alvarez. The Cuban slugger who looks like Hercules and possesses the mind of a hitting Oppenheimer gives Dusty Baker a chess piece that no one else can match.

With eight RBI and 10 runs scored in Houston’s six playoff games, Alvarez has had a hand in 18 of the 24 total runs the defending champs have scored so far this postseason.

“He’s something else,” veteran Rangers outfielder Robbie Grossman says of Yordan. “Baseball is supposed to be harder than he makes it look. It is harder.”

This might have been Yordan’s version of Michael Jordan’s flu game if the Astros had managed to turn his two home runs into a win. It doesn’t happen though.

Even Yordan cannot win games completely by himself. Even the Marvel movies didn’t really take off until Kevin Feige had superheroes start teaming up. In particular, Alvarez needs Kyle Tucker, the closest thing the Astros have to a near equal to Yordan in ascendant superstar potential, to start changing a few games of his own.

“Well, he hit the ball good a couple of times tonight,” Baker says of Tucker, trying to strike a hopeful tone. “Better than he had been before. And it’s frustrating when you’re not getting hits. And I’m sure he’s frustrated. We need Tuck.

“He’s a big part of our team. Big part of our offense. And I just know that Tucker will come across and come through with it in Texas.”

These Astros cannot do anything but confidently hope until they win a game in this series. Bank on someone giving Yordan Alvarez some help. The alternative is too painful to contemplate. Becoming baseball’s Jerry West is no fun.