Mookie Betts has dominated in nearly each offensive class this season. He was just lately named the Nationwide League Participant of the Month by Main League Baseball for his insane efficiency throughout March/April.
He was the plain alternative for the award after slashing .368/.477/.624 whereas main the majors in a plethora of classes, together with hits, walks, runs scored, and Wins Above Alternative. If he retains up this loopy tempo, he’ll turn into a part of baseball historical past on the finish of the season.
Based on OptaSTATS, the Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop entered Friday’s sport in opposition to the Atlanta Braves main MLB in hits, runs, and walks. The one participant to complete a season main MLB in all three classes was the White Stockings’ Ross Barnes in 1876.
It isn’t arduous to think about Betts main baseball in hits and runs. How is he main in walks with two-time American League Most Helpful Participant Shohei Ohtani hitting behind him?
“That’s a fantastic query,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman instructed Invoice Plunkett of the Southern California Information Group.
“I don’t suppose it’s intentional that pitchers wish to stroll him. I feel he has a very good eye coupled with actually good bat-to-ball expertise so he can spoil some actually good pitches and purchase himself one other pitch after which they don’t execute.”
Betts was unaware of simply how nice he had been by way of the primary month of the season. Main in walks was stunning to him as nicely, particularly with one of many sport’s most feared hitters on deck behind him.
“That sounds bizarre. That sounds actually bizarre,” Betts mentioned. “I didn’t know (that he led the majors in walks). … It’s simply being the most effective I could be, making an attempt to get a superb pitch to hit. That’s solely proper now. It’s only a month in. Quite a lot of issues change clearly. However proper now it’s serving to us win ballgames.”
Photograph Credit score: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports activities
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