By breaking down how players can influence the game from the batter’s box by advanced stats, the game of baseball becomes a lot more complex. One of the more important analytical advanced stats watched closely is “On-base Plus Slugging” (OPS). Two of the top three positions in all of baseball over the last 162 games through May 18 are held by MLBbros:
Shohei Ohtani, 1.101; Mookie Betts, 1.024; Aaron Judge, 1.008; Marcell Ozuna, .965; Matt Olson, .960; Freddie Freeman, .953; Kyle Tucker, .945; Juan Soto, .940; Ronald Acuña Jr., .936.
Behind Shohei Ohtani, his teammate Mookie Betts and reigning MLBbro MVP Aaron Judge hold the second and third positions, respectively. Let’s break down the stat thoroughly. What does highest on-base percentage mean? OPS combines on-base percentage (OBP) and slugging percentage to get one number that unites the two.
Via MLB.com:
OBP refers to how frequently a batter reaches base per plate appearance. Times on base include hits, walks and hit-by-pitches, but do not include errors, times reached on a fielder’s choice or a dropped third strike. (Separately, sacrifice bunts are removed from the equation entirely, because it is rarely a hitter’s decision to sacrifice himself, but rather a manager’s choice as part of an in-game strategy.)
A hitter’s goal is to avoid making an out, and on-base percentage shows which hitters have accomplished that task the best.
While both MLBbros are dealing with other challenges, Betts (adjustments at the shortstop position) and Judge (early season slump), both have an uncanny knack for staying at the top of the scouting report by finding themselves on base more often than not.
Heading into the Los Angeles Dodgers matchup with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night, Betts has been a professional hitter in every sense of the word. Through 49 games in 4.6 plate appearances per game, Betts was averaging 1.3 hits with 2.2 total bases.
In 194 at-bats, Betts had 33 walks (an average of 0.7 BBs per game) and only 21 strikeouts (an average of 0.4 strikeouts per game). The 31-year-old shortstop was second in all of MLB in hits with 65, behind his teammate Ohtani’s 67.
For New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge, what a difference a month makes. After suffering through the worst batting slump of his career, Aaron Judge is back, with a recent AL Player of the Week honor to prove it.
After a hitless performance on May 2 that dropped his batting average to .197, the 32-year-old Judge has been red hot. In a 16-game stretch from May 3 through May 19 (13 Yankees wins), his stats are making opponents and fans all rise.
Judge batted .436 with seven homers, 10 doubles and 15 walks. His advanced stats were even more impressive. Since May 3 and prior to the Yankees 6-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday, Judge’s on-base percentage was .563 with a slugging percentage of 1.000. The three-week stretch raised his season OPS from .725 to .988.