(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
There is no question Pablo Lopez has been a magnificent addition to the Minnesota Twins’ rotation.
However, it’s also fair to say that the Miami Marlins are more than happy with what they got for the star pitcher: infielder Luis Arraez.
The reigning AL batting champion – the man who prevented Aaron Judge’s Triple Crown last year – is performing at a really high level with the bat once again, showcasing his talents in the National League for an offense-needy team.
Arraez’s .438 batting average and .500 OBP both pace the majors as we head to the second month of the 2023 campaign.
To say the Marlins needed his offensive profile would be an understatement.
Arraez is not your typical slugger.
In fact, he has virtually no power.
However, he more than makes up for it with incredible contact ability.
Whiffs per swing, MLB in 2023:
All players together —–> 26%
Luis Arráez ————–> 7%pic.twitter.com/33WAPlVeZW
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) May 2, 2023
The man just doesn’t miss.
To fool Arraez and make him swing-and-miss, you need to have perfect command of a really nasty pitch.
Whereas the average MLB hitter has a 26 percent whiff-per-swing rate, Arraez is at seven percent.
Seven percent.
That’s downright elite, but you probably don’t need us to tell you that.
His 187 wRC+ indicates he has been performing 87 percent better than the league average.
That may be unsustainable, but he was at 131 last year and his career mark is 124.
He is, quite comfortably, above average with the bat.
Combine that with his defensive versatility and you have one of the most valuable performers on the Marlins.
He seems to be a perfect complement to the powerful Jazz Chisholm Jr.
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