Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez hit for the cycle for the first time in his career during Sunday’s 6–4 loss to the Seattle Mariners.
However, he received a memento from his special day that fellow major leaguers who hit for the cycle might not have gotten.
Mariners fan Amy Franz ended up with Alvarez’s home run ball after the massive shot (curiously measured by Statcast at 384 feet) hit the facing of T-Mobile Park’s upper deck and fell back into the lower deck where she was sitting.
Soon thereafter, Franz posted a message to social media reaching out to the Astros and Mariners saying that she had Alvarez’s home run ball and wanted to give it to him.
“It’s worth more to him than me being as he hit for the cycle,” she wrote. “Please find a way for me to get it to him.”
Franz’s post circulated through social media and apparently found its way to people associated with the Mariners and Astros. Following the game, she was introduced to Alvarez and gave him the ball, “the piece of history that he earned,” as she put it.
“I did not ask for anything in return,” she said in a follow-up post with a photo of her and Alvarez. “But he made sure that I received an autographed ball to show his appreciation.”
For those wondering, I was able to congratulate @astros Yordan and give him the piece of history that he earned. I did not ask for anything in return, but he made sure that I received an autographed ball to show his appreciation. Congrats Yordan, and thanks for the ball. pic.twitter.com/dwQVFEtYDY
— Amy Franz (@ichimeterlady) July 22, 2024
In addition to an autographed ball, Franz received a jersey from Alvarez, according to MLB.com.
Alvarez batted 4-for-4 on Sunday, getting his home run in the fourth inning and the most difficult part of a cycle – a triple – in the sixth on a deep drive to left center field that Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez unfortunately hurt himself while trying to pursue. Rodriguez collided with the outfield wall and sprained his right ankle.
With the 4-for-4 day, Alvarez’s batting average improved to .301 with a .930 OPS, 20 home runs, 22 doubles, two triples and 54 RBI for the season.
The Astros’ designated hitter is the second player to hit for the cycle this season, joining the Texas Rangers’ Wyatt Langford. He also became the second player to do it in T-Mobile Park history, following Miguel Tejada accomplishing the feat with the Oakland Athletics in 2001.
Alvarez is also the 10th Astros batter to hit for the cycle, following José Altuve doing so last season against the Boston Red Sox. But did Altuve get his home run ball back from a gracious baseball fan like Alvarez did?
