Historic Chases · 2026-04-27 RECONSTRUCTED

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Nightly briefing

Baseball last night

Games of 2026-04-27

No history was made last night, but the box scores still talked: Jake Eder earned his FIRST career win.

Taylor Ward has 13 doubles — projecting to 75, +1 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 .358 — the last .400 season was Ted Williams in 1941.

History movers: Chandler Simpson — Franchise Hits: 34 now, pace 196.7, record 198 (Aubrey Huff) · Oneil Cruz — Franchise RBI: 24 now, pace 134.1, record 131 (Paul Waner).

The so-what: through 29 team games, Munetaka Murakami sits 1 HR behind Bonds' 73-homer pace (13 at this point). That's the number that decides whether this season becomes a chase or a footnote.

That morning's stakes

What we were watching

MUST TRACK: Oneil Cruz is on a 40/40 pace — 8 HR / 10 SB, projecting to 45/56. Only five players have ever done it: Canseco, Bonds, A-Rod, Soriano, and Ohtani. Every game matters from here.

The .400 burndown: Yordan Alvarez carries a .358 average into today; a .400 finish takes a .409 clip the rest of the way (199-for-486). A 3-for-4 tonight lowers the requirement to .407; an 0-for-4 raises it to .413.

On this date in 2003, Kevin Millwood of the Phillies threw a no-hitter (one of 6 thrown on this date).

30/30 watch: Oneil Cruz sits at 8 HR / 10 SB — 22 homers short and 20 steals short of a 30/30 season, projecting to 45/56.

Historical intelligence

How the night stacked up

Pace through history

Munetaka Murakami versus the great home-run seasons

Munetaka Murakami has 12 home runs through 29 team games, 2 behind Barry Bonds's 2001 pace at the same checkpoint (14). Comparable chases finished with a median of 37; 8.2% reached 50 and 1.8% reached 60 (n=282).

Retrosheet · verified play-by-play

If the pace holds

A 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 2021

Franchise pressure

A franchise record is under pressure

The single-season record is 52 home runs, set by George Foster in 1977. Sal Stewart projects to 52 and projects to tie it.

SABR Lahman Baseball Database · through 2021

Only X seasons ever

Munetaka Murakami is building a rare combination

At his current pace, Munetaka Murakami would reach at least 60 HR, and 125 RBI. Only 8 completed seasons in the configured historical cohort reached every mark. The recent company includes Barry Bonds (2001), Sammy Sosa (2001), Mark McGwire (1999).

SABR Lahman Baseball Database · through 2021

Closest to .400