Alvarez and Moreno win batting titles, Misiorowski leads majors in ERA and strikeouts

By RONALD BLUM, AP

NEW YORK (AP) — Houston’s Yordan Alvarez and Arizona’s Gabriel Moreno won their first batting titles Sunday, while Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski became just the fourth pitcher since 1950 to lead the majors in ERA, strikeouts and opponents’ batting average.

Alvarez's .316 average was the lowest for the overall major league batting champion, below the previous mark of .325 by Dick Groat for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960. Alvarez had the lowest for an AL winner since Carl Yastrzemski's .301 in 1968.

“The batting title was something I always wanted," Alvarez said.

Moreno edged Philadelphia's Luis Arraez for the NL crown and became only the fifth player with at least 50 starts at catcher to win a batting championship, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He joined Bubbles Hargrave (1926), Ernie Lombardi (1938, ‘42), Buster Posey (2012) and Joe Mauer (2006, ’08, '09).

Moreno, Arizona's first batting champion, was scratched from the starting lineup Sunday because of a tender hamstring and he finished at .311, one percentage point above Arraez. A three-time batting champion, Arraez sprained an ankle Thursday and missed the Phillies' last regular-season series.

“It’s something that you dream when you’re playing baseball since you’re 3 years old, 4 years old,” Moreno said.

Seven qualified big leaguers hit .300 or better, matching 2024 and 2025 for the fewest since a record-low six in 1968. Colorado's TJ Rumfield reached .300 with a first-inning single Saturday, was removed in the second and didn't play Sunday.

Misiorowski finished with 252 strikeouts, a 1.80 ERA and an opponents’ batting average of .157. The only other pitchers since 1950 to lead the major leagues in all three categories were Sandy Koufax in 1965, J.R. Richard in 1979 and Mike Scott in 1986, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Misiorowski's opponents' batting average was the lowest since 1900 for an AL or NL pitcher with 100 or more innings, bettering Pedro Martinez's .167 in 2000, Elias said. His 0.80 WHIP was the lowest for pitchers with at least 150 innings since Martinez's 0.73 in 2000.

Misiorowski threw 1,115 pitches 100 mph or faster, most in a season since tracking started in 2008. He shattered the prior mark of 673 by Jordan Hicks in 2018.

“Honestly, being able to go in week in and week out and perform for my teammates, I think that’s the biggest thing,” Misiorowski said.

Cam Schlittler of the New York Yankees won the AL ERA title at 1.95 and had a 1.16 ERA on the road, the third-lowest in the Live Ball era for a pitcher with 100 or more innings behind Bob Gibson's 0.81 in 1968 and Greg Maddux's 1.12 in 1995.

Houston set a record for lowest winning percentage by a first-place team at .500 with an 81-81 mark that won the AL West.

Colson Montgomery of the Chicago White Sox set the season record for strikeouts by a batter with 227, four more than Mark Reynolds in 2009.

Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber tied for the home run lead with 45. Pete Alonso topped the AL with 43 after leaving the New York Mets as a free agent to sign with the Orioles.

Alec Burleson of St. Louis led the NL in RBIs with 116 and Alonso topped the AL with 113, becoming the first player to win an RBI title in both leagues. Alonso paced the NL with 131 in 2022 for the Mets.

Pittsburgh's Bryan Reynolds had the most doubles with 40 and Boston's Wilyer Abreu led the AL with 38.

Corbin Carroll became the first player to lead his league in triples in four straight seasons, hitting 17 for the Diamondbacks. Minnesota's Kody Clemens had seven triples, the fewest for an AL leader in a non-shortened season.

Washington's Nasim Nuñez led the major leagues with 49 stolen bases, and Tampa Bay's Chandler Simpson topped the AL with 46.

Philadelphia's Cristopher Sánchez and Boston's Sonny Gray tied for the lead with 18 wins. There have not been any 20-game winners since Atlanta's Spencer Strider in 2023. The only other non-shortened seasons without a 20-game winner were 1871, 2006, 2009 and 2017.

Cleveland's Gavin Williams led the AL with 248 strikeouts.

Tampa Bay’s Bryan Baker and Cleveland's Cade Smith tied for most saves with 41, while San Diego's Mason Miller and St. Louis' Riley O'Brien led the NL with 38 each.

___

AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham and AP freelance writers Adam Camarena and Matt Carlson contributed to this report.

___

See AP’s full MLB coverage here