Bae (24, Pittsburgh), who made the major league opening day roster for the first time in his career this season, turned heads with his speed in the month of April. His speed from the plate to first base was tops in the league, and he stole nine bases in April alone.
But his batting performance wasn’t as impressive. Bae’s batting average in April was .234, and his on-base percentage in April was .280, which isn’t that unusual. His OPS, which is the sum of his slugging percentage and on-base percentage, was below league average at 0.605. While this highlights his quick feet, it’s not the kind of batting average that would make him a solid starter.
His lack of major league experience led to some trial and error. He tended to rely on his feet to bunt rather than create his own pitches. This means that his athleticism, both offensively and defensively, stood out more than his hitting skills. Some people criticized him for being more of a track and field athlete than a baseball player.
However, since May, no one has been able to criticize Bae. His batting average has been steadily improving, and his run production has recently been above league average. In April, he struggled with his bat speed, but that has improved in May, and his last 20 days have been among the best in the league. It’s clear to see that he’s improving.
In 24 games in May, Bae hit .304 with a .360 on-base percentage and a .751 OPS in 69 at-bats. His OPS is above league average during this time. It’s not that he’s lacking in power, but a .304 batting average and .360 OPS shouldn’t be taken lightly. There aren’t many players in Pittsburgh who can put up monthly numbers like that, especially when you consider that May was a bit of a downturn for the team’s offense.
Bae’s batting performance is even more impressive when you look at the last 20 days or so. From May 20th through the 8th, Bae’s batting average is one of the best in the league. In 15 games and 51 at-bats during that time, Bae has a whopping .370 batting average. His slugging percentage is even higher at .420.
Bae’s batting average is among the best in all of Major League Baseball for players with at least 50 at-bats during this time. The player with the highest batting average in 50+ at-bats during this time is Luis Arares (Miami), who is shocking the league with a .453 batting average this year.
Second is Texas’ Josh Young (.394), third is Toronto’s Whit Merrifield (.381), who has always been a precision hitter, fourth is Freddie Freeman (.373), one of the Dodgers’ signature hitters, and fifth is Cincinnati’s emerging center fielder Spencer Steer (.373). Bae is next on the list.
Bae’s adjusted wRC+ over this period is 150. That’s 50% better than the league average. It’s clear that he’s on the upswing at the plate, even though he’s hitting a lot of infield hits. His defense has been steady between second base and center field, and his stolen base pace, which had been off for a while, is back on track with four more in the period.메이저사이트
After starting the month of June with a .286 batting average, Bae is now batting .327 against lefties, making him a player that can be used at any time. The Pittsburgh coaching staff believes that he will make mistakes, but he will learn from them and become stronger. At least he doesn’t have to worry about a trip to the minors anymore. Bae”s first full-time season has been on a positive graph.