Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr. and MLB's Best Offensive Seasons of 2023
The end isn't quite here, but it's not too soon to conclude the 2023 MLB season has been an offensive extravaganza for the books.
The new rules paved the way for the league's batting average to rise to its highest point since 2019, with stolen bases rising to a level last seen in 1997. The long ball also remained in vogue, as '23 is on track to be the fifth-best season ever for home runs.
It thus seems not only fair to honor the primary contributors to all this, but indeed necessary. It must be done.
Well, here you go. It's a list of the top 10 individual offensive seasons of 2023, ranked according to how impressive their performances are both in the context of this season and historically.
First, some honorable and special mentions.
Honorable and Special Mentions
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Honorable Mentions
- DH Yordan Álvarez, Houston Astros: Leads AL with 4.5 WPA (win probability added)
- 1B Yandy Díaz, Tampa Bay Rays: Has a .322 AVG and .909 OPS
- 2B Marcus Semien, Texas Rangers: Leads AL with 176 H
- RF Kyle Tucker, Houston Astros: Leads AL with 108 RBI
- SS Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals: Has 29 HR and 48 SB
Special Mentions
10. 2B Luis Arraez, Miami Marlins
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Age: 26
2023 Stats: 144 G, 610 PA, 10 HR, 3 SB, .354 AVG, .394 OBP, .471 SLG
Luis Arraez was batting .400 even as recently as June 24, at which time everyone was all atwitter about the Ted Williams-ness of it all.
So much for that, but don't snort at the .354 average Arraez has now. The last guy to hit over .350 in a full season was Josh Hamilton in 2010, and the league-wide average that year was eight points higher than in 2023.
A stat called "AVG+" can put Arraez's performance in broader historical context. At 142, his AVG+ shows he's hitting for average better than anyone has in a non-shortened season since George Brett hit .390 in 1980.
What's Not So Great About It?
If it's possible for a batting average as high as .354 to feel hollow, well, this is how: About 80 percent of Arraez's hits have been singles and even the bigger bases haven't helped his baserunning.
9. LF Juan Soto, San Diego Padres
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Age: 24
2023 Stats: 153 G, 670 PA, 32 HR, 11 SB, .267 AVG, .405 OBP, .504 SLG
What's So Great About It?
Anyone who isn't a huge on-base percentage nerd might not be aware this, but Soto is now 6-for-6 in posting OBPs over .400 since beginning his major league career in 2018.
Here's a complete list of players who've done that before turning 25:
- Juan Soto
Yup, just him. And this is even despite the fact he was cold out of the gate, hitting just .178/.339/.344 through April 26. But if the season had begun on April 27, he'd rank third in OBP and seventh in OPS right now.
What's Not So Great About It?
By Soto's own standards, this year is...fine. Not great. Just fine. And if one is a huge on-base percentage nerd, one might be longing for the Juan Soto who got on base at a .471 clip across 2020 and 2021.
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8. SS Corey Seager, Texas Rangers
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Age: 29
2023 Stats: 109 G, 495 PA, 31 HR, 2 SB, .331 AVG, .392 OBP, .637 SLG
What's So Great About It?
Everyone, their uncles and whoever else expected Corey Seager to benefit from the shift ban in 2023, but anyone who says they saw this coming is a purveyor of lies.
The last guy to hit over .330 with a slugging percentage over .630 in a full season? That was Mookie Betts in 2018. Before him, Bryce Harper in 2015. Before him, Miguel Cabrera in 2013. Before him, Josh Hamilton in 2010. Before him, Albert Pujols in 2008.
You know what ties all those seasons together? They all resulted in MVPs. So when somebody says Seager is having an "MVP-caliber" year, the only thing to do is nod.
What's Not So Great About It?
Of course, there are two good reasons Seager isn't likely to end up winning the AL MVP. One is that Shohei Ohtani exists. The other is that losing 48 days to the injured list is no way to go about having an MVP season.
7. CF Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners
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Age: 22
2023 Stats: 145 G, 672 PA, 31 HR, 36 SB, .285 AVG, .342 OBP, .498 SLG
What's So Great About It?
Congratulations are in order for Julio Rodríguez on three accounts.
The first is just for being Julio Rodríguez, honestly. The second is for leading the American League with 176 hits. And the third is for tying Alex Rodriguez as the third-youngest player to ever go 30-30 in a season.
What's more, J-Rod's MVP case shouldn't be dismissed just because he doesn't moonlight as a pitcher when he's not hitting tanks or making center field look postage-stamp small. He's hit .337/.387/.599 since July 1 and has boosted the Mariners' playoff odds accordingly.
What's Not So Great About It?
In the pantheon of historical 30-30 seasons, what Rodríguez has done this year is [flips through "How to Talk to Fellow Kids"] mid. By offensive WAR, his isn't even in the top 40.
6. OF Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks
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Age: 23
2023 Stats: 147 G, 609 PA, 25 HR, 50 SB, .286 AVG, .363 OBP, .511 SLG
What's So Great About It?
On Wednesday Corbin Carroll became the first rookie ever to tally as many as 25 home runs and 50 stolen bases.
One could argue the bigger bases cheapen what Carroll has done on the basepaths, but who would do that? Because even by 2023 standards, Baserunning Runs reveals that he really has been that much better than everyone else:
- Corbin Carroll: 11
- 5 Players: 6
You have to go back to Billy Hamilton in 2015 to find the last guy with 11 Baserunning Runs in a season. As for the last guy to tally that many Baserunning Runs and at least 25 home runs, that was Eric Davis in 1987.
What's Not So Great About It?
Honestly, it's a bummer that Carroll doesn't have even more dingers. He was on a 36-homer pace through July 23 but has cleared the fence only four times since then.
5. 1B Matt Olson, Atlanta
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Age: 29
2023 Stats: 152 G, 681 PA, 52 HR, 1 SB, .279 AVG, .386 OBP, .606 SLG
What's So Great About It?
Congrats on making it this far. You deserve a treat, and few treats are sweeter than the sheer aesthetic splendor of Matt Olson swinging his hitting stick:
Olson's swing has been mighty productive this year. His 52 home runs and 131 runs batted in don't just lead all major league hitters for this season. The former set a franchise record for Atlanta and the latter is territory where only he and six other Atlanta hitters have tread.
Apart from his swing, consistency has been key for Olson. As great as this year has been for home runs in general, only he has hit at least seven on a monthly basis.
What's Not So Great About It?
Not that it's ever a bad thing for a hitter to lead the majors in home runs and RBI and his league in slugging percentage but, well, that's really all Olson has going for him.
4. 1B Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers
8 of 11
Age: 34
2023 Stats: 150 G, 681 PA, 26 HR, 20 SB, .333 AVG, .411 OBP, .566 SLG
What's So Great About It?
When Freddie Freeman's bat strikes the ball, an extra-base hit usually follows.
This is true of the 14-year veteran just in a general sense, but never more so than right now. His 84 extra-base hits are the most of any hitter in either league, which mostly has to do with his 56 doubles.
Beyond putting him on track to lead the league in doubles for a second straight season, all those doubles are also worthy of baseball history. Freeman's 14-double advantage on Seager for the MLB lead is the largest since Earl Webb out-doubled Dale Alexander by 20 in 1931.
What's Not So Great About It?
If nothing else, it's pretty dang weird to see a guy who's hitting .333/.411/.566 and yet somehow not leading at least his own league in any of those categories.
3. RF Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Age: 30
2023 Stats: 142 G, 652 PA, 39 HR, 13 SB, .310 AVG, .410 OBP, .595 SLG
What's So Great About It?
There was a point in late August when Mookie Betts took over as the betting favorite to win the National League MVP. Alas, that's no longer the case.
Yet those are still some spectacular numbers next to Betts' name. They're so spectacular, in fact, that Offensive Winning Percentage posits that a lineup full of Mookie Bettses would be the best possible lineup of National League hitters a team could field.
Further, Betts has a shot to be the first to make history. As all 39 of his long balls have come out of the leadoff spot, he's one away from becoming the first ever to hit 40 home runs out of said spot.
What's Not So Great About It?
Offensive Winning Percentage is a fun stat but, come on, it's pretty niche. And it's unfortunately the only offensive stat Betts leads the NL in right now, a casualty of a cool September that's seen him hit .245 with one home run.
2. DH Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
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Age: 29
2023 Stats: 135 G, 599 PA, 44 HR, 20 SB, .304 AVG, .412 OBP, .654 SLG
What's So Great About It?
If a lineup of nine Mookie Bettses is the best possible combination of National League hitters, the obligatory question is this: What about the best possible lineup, period?
Per his superior .809 Offensive Winning Percentage, that would be a starting nine full of Shohei Ohtanis. And why not? He only leads the American League in home runs, walks and OBP and the majors in slugging and OPS, after all.
One other thing: At least until No. 1 on this list hits his 40th home run, for now Ohtani's 20 stolen bases are by far the most of this year's four-person 40-Homer Club.
What's Not So Great About It?
With Ohtani officially done for the year, he unfortunately won't be adding any more to the numbers on his record. Also unfortunate is that this Saturday will mark one month since his last long ball.
1. RF Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta
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Age: 25
2023 Stats: 150 G, 699 PA, 39 HR, 67 SB, .337 AVG, .416 OBP, .592 SLG
What's So Great About It?
When your name is plastered all over the leaderboards for both the National League and the major leagues at large, you must be having a pretty good season.
And that's understating it. Because even if Ronald Acuña Jr. didn't have such cherished things as a .300/.400/.500 slash line and a 1.000 OPS, his home runs and stolen bases alone would have everyone's attention.
Even if Acuña doesn't get the one home run and three stolen bases he needs to become the first 40-70 player in MLB history, he's already clinched the best power-speed season ever. That's according to Bill James' formula, for which he's blown away Alex Rodriguez's 42-homer, 46-steal season from 1998.
What's Not So Great About It?
You can tweak the power-speed formula a little to find that Ty Cobb's 1911 season (in which he had 79 extra-base hits and 83 steals) is actually the best ever, but that's tantamount to trolling. Acuña's 2023 season is an all-timer, and it's that simple.
Stats up to date entering Thursday's games and courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.
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