For the third consecutive month, first baseman Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros has been voted the American League Rookie of the Month, adding August honors to his season. Outfielder Aristides Aquino has been named both National League Player of the Month and National League Rookie of the Month for August.
Alvarez is the first player in franchise history to receive multiple rookie monthly honors, and is the first Major League rookie to earn three consecutive awards since Aaron Judge accomplished the feat from April – June during his AL Rookie of the Year-winning 2017 season. Aquino became the first Reds player to win NL Rookie of the Month since Billy Hamilton in June 2014.
Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros (@yordan4342)
• Posted a slash line of .309/.425/.670 with 23 runs scored, 30 hits, eight doubles, nine home runs, 26 RBI and 21 walks across 27 games played.
• Notched his 62nd career RBI in his 64th career game in the final contest of his award-winning month on August 31st. Represents the fifth-most in MLB history across a player’s first 64 games, behind only Hall of Famers Ted Williams (69 RBI, 1939), Jim Bottomley (66 RBI, 1922-23) and Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio (64 RBI, 1936), as well as Walt Dropo (65 RBI, 1949-50).
• Set an MLB record for the most RBI in a player’s first 45 career games with 51 following Houston’s
game on August 10th, surpassing Williams’ record of 47 RBI during his aforementioned 1939 season.
• In Houston’s contest on August 10th against the Baltimore Orioles, became the first rookie in Club history to post a three-homer game, and the second rookie to log seven RBI in a contest (also J.R. Towles on September 20, 2007). Was also the first Astros hitter to record a three-homer outing since Carlos Lee on April 13, 2007.
• Alvarez is on pace to become just the sixth rookie in Major League history to bat .300-or-better (.317) with at least 20 home runs (22) and an OPS of 1.000-or-better (1.084), joining Ryan Braun (2007), Albert Pujols (2001), Bernie Carbo (1970), Williams (1939) and Rudy York (1937).
Others receiving votes for AL Rookie of the Month included shortstop Bo Bichette (.325, 20 R, 14 2B, 7 HR) and third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (.341, 15 R, 8 HR, 13 RBI) of the Toronto Blue Jays; and relief pitcher Nick Anderson (2-0, 0.77 ERA, 22 SO, 0 BB), who debuted with the Tampa Bay Rays following a July 31st trade.
Others receiving votes for NL Rookie of the Month included All-Star Pete Alonso (.283, 16 R, 14 XBH, 24 RBI) of the New York Mets; outfielder Bryan Reynolds (.351, 24 R, 40 H, 17 XBH) of the Pittsburgh Pirates; and outfielder Mike Yastrzemski (16 R, 14 XBH, 17 RBI, .609 SLG) of the San Francisco Giants.