Expect the unexpected: MLB’s best bats aren’t all familiar
Bryce Harper is hammering his usual homers for the Philadelphia Phillies. Mike Trout and Mookie Betts are flashing their expected MVP-level skills while second-year phenom Fernando Tatis Jr. has been arguably the game’s best player.
But like most things in 2020, Major League Baseball hasn’t followed the expected script.
Nearly halfway through baseball’s condensed 60game schedule, some of the game’s best bats belong to young or surprising players. Here’s a look at a few who have thrived under less-than-ideal circumstances:
— Kyle Lewis, OF, Seattle Mariners: It’s been a rough season so far for the Mariners, but there’s hope for the future thanks to this 25-year-old star who was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2016 draft. He’s batting .368 with seven homers and been worth close to 2.0 Wins Above Replacement according to baseball-reference.com.
— Anthony Santander, OF, Baltimore Orioles: The 25-year-old is the face of a franchise that has been much more competitive in the AL East than many expected. He’s got 10 doubles, 10 homers and 27 RBIs.
— Luke Voit, 1B, New York Yankees: The 29-year-old Voit has shown some power during the past few seasons but this season he’s occasionally carried a lineup that’s dealing with injuries to Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Voit’s hitting .311 with 10 homers and 25 homers while his .730 slugging percentage leads the American League.
— Jake Cronenworth, IF, San Diego Padres: He’s probably the most unexpected contributor for the young and exciting Padres, who are quickly pushing into the National League’s elite. The rookie is batting .348 with three homers while playing all four infield positions.
— Mike Yastrzemski, OF, San Francisco Giants: Carl Yastrzemski’s grandson was a feel-good story last year as a long-time minor league who finally had some success in the big leagues. This season, the 30-year-old has been among the best in the game. He’s batting .309 with seven homers and leads the National League with 23 walks.
— Brandon Lowe, IF, Tampa Bay Rays: Lowe’s not a total surprise considering he made the AllStar team last season and was third in the AL’s Rookie of the Year voting, but the versatile 26-yearold has developed into one of the cornerstones of an up-and-coming Rays roster and he’s hitting .313 with nine homers in 2020.