MLB: Early signs show the designated hitter isn’t hitting very well
By Bill Felber
In the early days of the 2022 MLB season, one question is emerging front and center: Shouldn’t the designated hitter actually be a hitter?
In this, the first full season of a universal DH, designated hitters are not exactly producing at levels a hitter – designated or otherwise – would be proud of. The average batting average of the most-used DH on all 30 teams is a tepid .234. That’s barely one point above the MLB average for all batters.
They’re not or reaching base or slugging at hitterish levels, either. The average OPS of the 30 men most often used as their team’s designated hitter is .701, only a few points higher than the .692 MLB average.
So far, first basemen, third basemen and left fielders all have substantially higher group slugging averages than designated hitters. The group average for first basemen is .820, nearly 120 percentage points higher than designated hitter. Left fielders have a collective .252 average, nearly 20 points higher than DHs.
Even some defensive-oriented positions are outperforming designated hitters in at least some respects. The average batting average of an MLB starting shortstop so far in 2022 is .235, one point higher than DHs. Second basemen are hitting .237.
On 13 of the 30 teams, the most frequently used designated hitter is batting below .200, while 16 have an OPS below .700.
As might be expected, designated hitters in the National League, which just implemented the position this year, are as a group underperforming their American League counterparts. The average batting average of a National League DH is .229 with a .689 OPS. AL designated hitters aren’t burning the joint down, but they’re doing better than that: .239 and .713.
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It’s not like teams don’t expect much from their designated hitter. As a group, they tend to play among the highest, if not the highest, position on the diamond. In 2022, the average salary of a designated hitter is $7.134 million; seven will earn more than $10 million. Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera of course leads the way at $32 million. Cabrera’s off to a decent start … for a no-power guy, sporting a .276 average and .678 OPS.