Although playing on opposite ends of the country, Joey Gallo of the New York Yankees and Kyle Seager of the Seattle Mariners are sharing a common experience: One of the oddest statistical seasons in Major League Baseball history.
Here is the statistical anomaly that Joey Gallo of the New York Yankees and Kyle Seager of the Seattle Mariners share in 2021
Dating back to 1871, only four players have hit 35 or more home runs in a season while posting a .215 or lower batting average. Heading into Tuesday’s home game against the Oakland A’s, Seager is included in this list, hitting exactly .215 with 35 home runs to just barely qualify. Of course, the 33-year-old Seager could improve his average at the plate over the final five games of the season (all set to be played in Seattle) and fall off the list. But, for now, Seager, who is hitting .213 in 89 September at-bats, makes the cut.
Gallo, meanwhile, has become a constant name on the very short list. While only four players in MLB history are on the list (including Seager for the moment), Gallo’s 2021 season marks the third time he will almost certainly qualify, with a .202 batting average and 38 homers on the campaign so far.
Since coming over to the Yankees in a trade deadline deal with the Texas Rangers, Gallo is slashing .164/.311/.433 with 13 long balls and 21 RBI.
Other than 2021, the seasons where Gallo has made the list include back-to-back campaigns in 2017 (41 homers and a .209 average) and 2018 (40 homers and a .206 batting average).
Who else makes the list? Dave Kingman has done it twice (as a member of the 1982 New York Mets with 37 homers and a .204 average and with the 1986 Oakland Athletics, posting 35 home runs and a .210 average). Adam Dunn also made the list by smacking 41 homers but hitting just .204 with the 2012 Chicago White Sox.
While both of their teams continue the chase for the postseason, Seager and Gallo will likely continue to be feast-or-famine type of players, either hitting the ball out of the park or not at all.