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Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez is chasing history in 2023.
Arraez, who became the first Marlin to hit for the cycle on April 11, has been flirting with a .400 average all season. After going 0-for-3 in Miami’s 2-0 win over the Red Sox on Thursday, when he was voted as the starting second baseman for the NL All-Star team, his batting average stood at .392. The late Hall of Famer Ted Williams was the last player in American League/National League history to hit .400, doing so in 1941 (.406). Arraez’s chase for .400 aspirations moves to Truist Park in Atlanta on Friday.
The 26-year-old Arraez also could become the first player since 1900 to be the batting champion in the AL and NL in consecutive seasons. As a member of the Twins, Arraez captured the 2022 AL batting title with a .316 average. The Marlins then acquired him in a Jan. 20, 2023, trade for right-hander Pablo López.
Highest batting average in team’s first 82 games, since 1941 based on current qualification rules
1997 Larry Walker: .408
1983 Rod Carew: .404
1977 Rod Carew: .402
1993 John Olerud: .401
1993 Andres Galarraga: .399
1997 Tony Gwynn: .399
1941 Ted Williams: .395
2008 Chipper Jones: .394
2023 Luis Arraez: .392
Latest into a season (by team games) a player has hit .400+
Since Ted Williams in 1941
134 games — George Brett (1980)
107 games — John Olerud (1993)
96 games — Larry Walker (1997)
92 games — Tony Gwynn (1997)
91 games — Nomar Garciaparra (2000)
85 games — Rod Carew (1983)
85 games — Rod Carew (1977)
Tony Gwynn’s .394 is the highest average by a qualified hitter since Williams, but it came in a strike-shortened season (1994) and his average dropped below .400 for the final time on May 16, San Diego’s 37th game.
June 30: At Braves (vs. TBD)
Atlanta hasn’t announced a starter for Friday’s series opener, but right-hander Mike Soroka would line up for the nod. Arraez is 1-for-3 with a two-run single in his career against Soroka. When Miami visited Truist Park in late April, Arraez went 2-for-8 with a run scored and a strikeout in two games. He is 5-for-18 (.278) in five total games vs. Atlanta this season.
June 29: 0-for-3 (.392)
Arraez’s hit streak was snapped at 11. He flied out to left to open Thursday’s series finale, lined out to pitcher Brayan Bello in the third, popped out to second in the sixth and was intentionally walked in the eighth.
June 28: 1-for-5 (.396)
Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers set the tone for Arraez’s evening by robbing him of a hit to open the game. Arraez also flied out to center in the third, grounded out to first in the sixth and produced an RBI groundout to short in the ninth. He did reach on an infield single in the seventh to extend his hitting streak to 11.
June 27: 2-for-5 (.399)
Arraez struck out in the first inning against Garrett Whitlock, snapping his stretch of 43 consecutive plate appearances without a K. He grounded into a fielder’s choice in the second, singled to center in the fourth, grounded out to second in the fifth and produced an RBI double off the Green Monster in the eighth for yet another multihit game.
June 25: 1-for-4 (.399)
Arraez’s sole hit came in the fifth inning, a two-out line-drive single to left field. The second baseman grounded out on a liner back to the pitcher in the first inning, flied out in the third and popped out in the eighth. Arraez extended his K-less streak to 43 consecutive plate appearances.
June 24: 1-for-3 (.401)
As one of 10 qualifying Major Leaguers with a homer on fewer than 1% of his plate appearances, Arraez defied the odds with a two-run shot to break a scoreless deadlock in the fifth. He also grounded out to third in the first, flied out to left in the third and walked in the seventh and ninth.
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