MLB: 5 stats from 2016 that went largely overlooked

MLB is a game so rich in statistical analysis and selections that sometimes, for a casual fan to try and wrap their mind around the entire broad spectrum, it can seem somewhat overwhelming. However, anyone who follows pro baseball gets caught up in stats by some degree in some way, shape or form.

Everything in the game’s illustrious history is tracked and compartmentalized to be referenced in future telecasts, articles, books and conversations. It’s one of the few sports where the numbers beyond the box score are emphasized so much that a critically acclaimed Hollywood film was actually made about them.

From 2016, a number of statistics stand out. Jose Altuve compiled 200+ hits for his third consecutive year. DJ LeMahieu, not a household name by any means, was crowned the MLB batting champ after hitting .348, despite his previous season high being only .301 in 2015.

Pitching-wise, Justin Verlander rebounded to lead the AL in strikeouts (254), while his former teammate, Rick Porcello, led the AL in wins with Boston to capture his first Cy Young award.

These are some of the obvious individual stats that most keen fans are aware of. But there are always the outliers; stats on the fringe that make baseball all the more interesting and appealing to its diehard followers.

Be it by team or player, here are five MLB stats from 2016 that deserve more attention than they likely received in the last six months since the season concluded.