HOUSTON — Yordan Alvarez, the Houston Astros’ designated hitter, and Jose Altuve, their second baseman, were two of the best hitters in Major League Baseball this season. Alvarez ranked second and Altuve fourth in on-base-plus-slugging percentage. Alvarez smashed 37 home runs while Altuve had 28.
Yet the two All-Stars have produced next to nothing at the plate against the Yankees through the first two games of the best-of-seven American League Championship Series. Regardless, the Astros are two wins away from a return trip to the World Series after toppling the Yankees, 3-2, in Game 2 on Thursday at Minute Maid Park.