If this MLB postseason has taught us anything, it’s that when Houston Astros left fielder Yordan Alvarez comes to the plate, there’s a good chance you may see him hit a home run. The big man has hit five home runs in six postseason games so far this year, including a pair in Houston’s Game 2 ALCS loss to the Texas Rangers.
His at-bat in the sixth inning of Game 3 of the ALCS on Wednesday night looked like it was going to end in his sixth home run of the playoffs.
Unfortunately for Alvarez, Rangers centerfielder Leody Taveras had other ideas, leaping high at the wall and bringing Alvarez’s would-be home run back into the park for nothing more than a loud first out of the sixth inning.
LEODY TAVERAS ROBS YORDAN ALVAREZ OF A HOMER! ⚾️🔥 #ALCS pic.twitter.com/WJ5NFNl6Te
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 19, 2023
Almost immediately, there were comparisons made to another famous Rangers/Astros home run robbery, when centerfielder Gary Matthews Jr. robbed Astros infielder Mike Lamb of a home run in a 2006 game.
Taveras’ robbery also came at an ideal time for the Rangers, who trimmed Houston’s lead to 5-2 by plating two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. To start off the sixth with a solo home run would have undone some of the work the Rangers did in attempting to pull closer.
Social media went crazy after the robbery.
Lord have mercy!!! https://t.co/xrwJ9X5yb7
— Jessica Kleinschmidt (@KleinschmidtJD) October 19, 2023
Gary Matthews Jr would be proud https://t.co/309ZrBbGnK
— Darren (@djohn90) October 19, 2023
The ALCS MVP was involved in this play…whichever way the series goes https://t.co/1846VyHuww
— Roman Petrowski (@RomanPetrowski) October 19, 2023
The angle on this catch >>> #ALCS pic.twitter.com/l2uOd3Urci
— MLB (@MLB) October 19, 2023
