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Braves, Mets, and Marlins: 2 truths and 1 lie about the NL East

By West Jones

Apr 1, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna (20) reacts with right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) after hitting a solo home run against the Washington Nationals during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna (20) reacts with right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) after hitting a solo home run against the Washington Nationals during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 1, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez (3) hits a single during the first inning against the New York Mets at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez (3) hits a single during the first inning against the New York Mets at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports /

Truth: Miami’s Luis Arraez will win the batting title again

The 2022 American League batting champion (I know it is just the batting average champion, but until it gets changed, this is still a thing) was Luis Arraez. The 2023 National League batting champion will be Luis Arraez. Yes, Arraez will go back-to-back on the award, and do it in a new league and with a new team.

Last season Arraez won the title in the American League with the lowest batting average (.316) since 1968 when Carl Yastrzemski won it with an average of .301. While he wasn’t pushing Ted Williams status, to go out and play every day and end the year as your respective league’s batting champion is quite an accomplishment.

During the offseason, Arraez was traded from the Minnesota Twins to the Miami Marlins for pitcher Pablo Lopez and two prospects. Trading a batting champion isn’t something that happens very often. Historically guys of that caliber were protected and signed to long-term contracts with their teams. Not so much anymore. Arraez will be looking to join DJ LeMahieu as the only players to win batting titles in both leagues over the last 120 years.

Arraez is off to a blazing start this season. Entering Monday, he was hitting .500/.571/.556 in 11 games and 42 plate appearances. Obviously Arraez isn’t going to rake at this clip all year, but the start is setting him up nicely to finish on top yet again.

He is not a power hitter at all, in fact he has just 14 MLB homeruns to this name in 1,611 plate appearances. What he does do, is hit the baseball. According to Baseball Savant, over the last two seasons, Arraez ranks in the 98-100% range for strikeout% and whiff%. Arraez isn’t Tony Gwynn, not by a longshot, but his bat-to-ball skills are as close to Gwynn as we have seen in MLB for a number of years.

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