Will Wilson homered in his FIRST MLB AT-BAT — a home run in his FIRST MLB at-bat — done only ~130 times in history ▶︎ watch.
Historic Chases · 2026-04-25 RECONSTRUCTED
Nightly briefing
Baseball last night
Taylor Ward has 13 doubles — projecting to 78, +2 vs Earl Webb's 67 pace. That pace would be the most doubles in any season since 1901. Needs 37 more to reach 50.
Yordan Alvarez sits at .353 — the last .400 season was Ted Williams in 1941.
The so-what: Oneil Cruz is on a 40/40 pace — 8 HR and 10 SB, projecting to 48/60. Only five players have ever done it: Canseco, Bonds, A-Rod, Soriano, and Ohtani. Both numbers have to land — that is what makes the club so small.
History movers: Sal Stewart, after homering — RBI: 29 now, pace 174, record 191 (Hack Wilson, 1930); Franchise RBI: 29 now, pace 174, record 149 (George Foster, 1977) · Yordan Alvarez — Triple Crown (MLB); Total Bases: 77 now, pace 446, record 457 (Babe Ruth, 1921).
Lines of the night: Caleb Durbin hit his first home run of the season — in his game No. 25 ▶︎ watch; David Fry hit his first home run of the season — in his game No. 15 ▶︎ watch.
That morning's stakes
What we were watching
MUST TRACK: Oneil Cruz is on a 40/40 pace — 8 HR / 10 SB, projecting to 48/60. Every game matters from here.
Wild-card watch: the AL's last wild-card spot belongs to a losing record — the Orioles (13-14) hold it, with the Mariners (13-15) a game back.
On this date in 2017, Trea Turner hit for the cycle.
30/30 watch: Oneil Cruz sits at 8 HR / 10 SB — 22 homers and 20 steals short of a 30/30 season, projecting to 48/60.
Historical intelligence
How the night stacked up
Yordan Alvarez versus the great home-run seasons
Yordan Alvarez has 11 home runs through 28 team games, 3 behind Barry Bonds's 2001 pace at the same checkpoint (14). Comparable chases finished with a median of 34 (95% CI 33-35); 5.3% reached 50 (3.7-7.7% at 95% confidence), from 488 comparable seasons.
Retrosheet · verified play-by-playA projected top-1 season
If Ernie Clement finishes at the current projection of 75, it would be the most doubles in any season since 1901 — no season on record has finished higher.
SABR Lahman Baseball Database · through 2025A franchise record is under pressure
The single-season record is 139 RBI, set by Matt Olson in 2023. Drake Baldwin projects to 139 and would tie it.
SABR Lahman Baseball Database · through 2025Yordan Alvarez is building a rare combination
At his current pace, Yordan Alvarez would reach at least 60 HR, and 150 RBI. Only 3 completed seasons in the configured historical cohort reached every mark. The recent company includes Sammy Sosa (2001), Sammy Sosa (1998), Babe Ruth (1927).
SABR Lahman Baseball Database · through 2025Closest to .400
.353AVG
9 consecutive hits needed to reach .400
LONG SHOT
Home Run Leader
11HR
64 projected HR · 3 behind Bonds's 73 pace
Hits Leader
36H
208 projected H · 9 behind Suzuki's 262 pace
Stolen Base Leader
12SB
69 projected SB · 10 behind Henderson's 130 pace
Doubles Leader
132B
78 projected 2B · +2 vs Webb's 67 pace
Triples Leader
43B
25 projected 3B · 2 behind Wilson's 36 pace
Triple Crown Watch (MLB)
.353· 11 HR · 26 RBI
1 / 1 / 2 in AVG/HR/RBI league ranks — full board on the Watch page
30/30 Club Pace
8/10HR/SB
48/60 projected HR/SB · team-game pace · 11 others in the hunt
ON PACE
Wins Leader (Team)
Braves
19W
110 projected wins · record 116
NEAR PACE
Run Differential Leader
Braves
+61
+353 projected run differential