MLB: Best Production from the Number Two Spot
- Miami Marlins (147 wRC+)—Giancarlo Stanton (67% of team PA)
Traditionally, the best hitter in a team’s lineup bats third. That’s where Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and Willie Mays usually hit. Before last season, it was also the spot that Giancarlo Stanton hit most often in his career. The previous MLB season, though, he hit second in 71 percent of his plate appearances and launched 47 of his 59 homers from the two hole. Now that he’s been traded to the Yankees, it’s likely that Stanton will be moved back to the number three spot, with fellow slugger Aaron Judge batting second.
- Los Angeles Angels (138 wRC+)—Kole Calhoun (45% of team PA)
Calhoun led the Angels in plate appearances out of the number two spot, but his 102 wRC+ was barely above league average. It was Mike Trout and his 176 wRC+ in 321 plate appearances as the number two hitter that put the Angels second on this list. Calhoun had seven more plate appearances out of this spot than Trout, but Trout out-produced him in every way possible. The best player on the planet should be back hitting second this year.
- Milwaukee Brewers (137 wRC+)—Eric Thames (54% of team PA)
Thames had most of the plate appearances in the second spot for the Brewers and was quite productive, hitting .259/.376/.563 (139 wRC+). Domingo Santana had fewer plate appearances hitting second, but was even more productive than Thames (.318/.438/.570, 162 wRC+). Now that the Brewers have traded for Christian Yelich and added Lorenzo Cain through free agency, it looks like the team will have to find playing time for Santana. They aren’t likely to bench Ryan Bruan and his $20 million contract. Also, as good as Thames was hitting second last year, it looks like he may be moving down the lineup this year. Roster Resources has the Brewers going with Yelich, Cain, and Shaw at the top of the order, with Braun fourth and Thames fifth.
- Houston Astros (136 wRC+)—Josh Reddick (35% of team PA)
The Astros were fourth or better in wRC+ in six of the first eight lineup spots. They had a very well-balanced and productive lineup. Josh Reddick had the most plate appearances on the team in the number two spot, but it was 197 plate appearances with a 195 wRC+ from Jose Altuve that helped the team finish in the top five here. Late in the summer last year, Alex Bregman started getting regular time in the two spot, and it looks like he’s expected to hit there again this season.
- Chicago Cubs (131 wRC+)—Kris Bryant (65% of team PA)
Bryant batting second is reminiscent of former Cub second baseman Ryne Sandberg, who won the MLB NL MVP Award in 1984 while batting second the entire season. It bucked tradition for Sandberg to hit in that spot 34 years, but it was a good move. Bryant in the two spot is also a good move. Of course, if you think he isn’t a traditional number two hitter, wait until he ends up batting leadoff this year. At least, that’s the talk on Twitter. Bryant told the Chicago Tribune he would be happy to hit leadoff. “I’ll do it. I’d love to. I did it in college. My whole junior year (at the University of San Diego), I was leadoff.” We’ll have to see what Joe Maddon thinks of that idea.