Averages tumble to .244 in ’21

The major-league batting average dropped to .244 this season, its lowest since the year of the pitcher in 1968, though offense picked up markedly following baseball’s midseason crackdown on grip-enhancing substances for pitchers.

MLB’s stricter enforcement had the desired impact, ending a run of 12 consecutive full seasons in which strikeouts had set records annually.

From opening day through June 2, the last day before the crackdown, batters hit .236 with a .395 slugging percentage, a .707 OPS and an average of 4.36 runs per team each game. From June 3 through the end of the regular season, the average rose to .248 with a .419 slugging percentage, a .738 OPS and an average of 4.62 runs.

There were a record 2,664 more strikeouts than hits, the gap increasing from 1,147 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and 784 in 2019, when strikeouts topped hits for the first time.

While there were 42,145 strikeouts, a slight decrease from 42,823 in 2019, hits declined from 42,039 to 39,481 as computer-aided defensive shifts proliferated. The bigleague batting average was .271 in 1999 at the height of the Steroids Era, when there were 45,327 hits.

MLB batting averages dropped to a record-low .237 in 1968, prompting MLB to lower the pitcher’s mound from 15 inches to 10 and shrink the strike zone.

FANS RETURN, SLOWLY

Major League Baseball drew 45.3 million fans this year as spectators gradually were allowed to return, down from 68.5 million over 2019 in the last season before the coronavirus pandemic.

The Dodgers led the major leagues in home attendance at 2.8 million. They did not start selling full capacity until games in mid-June.

This year’s MLB season averaged 18,901 for 2,397 dates, the commissioner’s office said Monday. Atlanta was second at 2.3 million, followed by San Diego at 2.2 million, Texas and St. Louis at 2.1 million and Houston at 2.07 million.

The Yankees drew 1.96 million, Boston 1.7 million and the Mets 1.5 million in Steven Cohen’s first season as owner.

Miami was last at 640,000, Oakland 29th at 700,000, Tampa Bay 28th at 760,000, Baltimore 27th at 790,000 and Toronto 26th at 800,000.