Arraez chasing magic .400 mark
Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez is not a national figure. That could soon change, or at least it should.
Through Friday, the 27-year-old was hitting .402 and had five-hit games on June 3, 16, and 19. Only four players — Ty Cobb (1922), Stan Musial (1948), Tony Gwynn (1993), and Ichiro Suzuki (2004) — have four such games in one season.
The last player with three five-hit games in a month was Dave Winfield from June 3-25, 1984. The last player hitting .390 or better this late in the season was Chipper Jones in 2008, when he took a .394 average into July.
Arraez has yet to strike out twice in a game this season and has never struck out three times in a game over five seasons in the majors. He leads the majors with 32 multi-hit games this season.
No player has hit .400 since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941. The closest was Gwynn (.394) in 1994.
In an age when batting average has been devalued and strikeouts are overlooked as the price you pay for power, Arraez is a freak hitter.
He rarely hits the ball hard and he’s not a particularly fast runner. But he strikes out in only 5 percent of his plate appearances and hits the ball to all fields.
Will Middlebrooks analyzed it well on his “Wake and Rake” podcast.
“No one hits like this,” he said.
It’s also wild to consider that Arraez could hit .400 and not be named Most Valuable Player in the National League. Right now, you could make a good argument for Ronald Acuña Jr. or Corbin Carroll instead.
Extra bases
Say this for Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, he’s determined. His team has underachieved more than could have been expected, but Baldelli has maintained his belief in the roster. “It’s hard to muster something up when you’re playing probably the lowest level of baseball that you can play as a group,” he said. “It’s hard to sit there and go, ‘It’s going to get better.’ But I promise you, this team is going to get better from what we’re watching right now.” Given what has been strong pitching, the Twins need more from Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa to ignite what has been an inconsistent lineup. At 29, Buxton is now a full-time DH as the Twins try to keep him healthy. “Physically, he cannot play in the field,” Baldelli said. “I’ve said that from the first day until now. If we even thought it was possible, he could play the outfield right now, he would be out there. But he can’t.” Buxton’s two towering home runs against the Red Sox on Thursday were a sign of what he remains capable of. Correa’s .708 OPS has been a shock. Issues with his left foot have dimmed Correa’s power, but he’s also chasing pitches . . . The Rays are 23-6 in games started by Shane McClanahan and
Zach Eflin ... Giancarlo Stanton has hit .208 with a .744 OPS the last two seasons. There is occasional home run power, but his athleticism has vanished. As one scout noted, what should be doubles are often singles and playing the outfield brings too much injury risk. At 33, Stanton is sliding fast and still has four years left on his contract ... Aaron Hicks had a .996 OPS in his first 18 games for the Orioles with the Yankees paying all but the prorated minimum of his $9.7 million salary.
Will Josh Donaldson be next to go from the Yankees? He is hitting .211 with a .674 OPS over 152 games dating to the beginning of last season . . . The Reds are 11-5-1 in their last 17 series, surging from 8½ games behind to 1½ games in front . . . Baseball can be unforgiving. As part of their Father’s Day pregame ceremonies at Truist Park last Sunday, the Braves planned to have utilityman Charlie Culberson catch a first pitch from his father. But Culberson was designated for assignment before the game . . . West Roxbury’s Packy Naughton is set for season-ending elbow surgery on Monday. The 27-yearold Cardinals lefthander appeared in four games this season without allowing a run before going on the injured list . . . Worcester Academy righthander Mavrick Rizy was chosen to play in the MLB/USA Baseball High School AllAmerican Game at T-Mobile Park on July 7. The game is a showcase for players in the high school class of 2024. The 6-foot-9-inch Rizy is committed to UConn but will be a prominent name on draft boards next year . . . Happy birthday to Dick Drago, who is 78. The righthander played for the Red Sox from 1974-75 and again from 1978-81. Drago appeared in 40 games for the 1975 Sox, posting a 3.84 ERA over 72„ innings. Drago took the loss in Game 2 of the World Series. He was next on the mound in Game 6 and was saved in the 11th inning when Dwight Evans made his memorable catch of Joe Morgan and doubled off Ken Griffey to end the inning. You know what happened next. Drago was traded to the Angels during spring training in 1976, then returned to the Sox as a free agent in 1978.