National League Hitters of the Month: May 2024
Sportsgrid Staff
Host · Writer
Honorable Mention: LaMonte Wade Jr., SFG
May Stats: 86 PA, 1 HR, 11 R, 9 RBI, .333/.488/.409, 0 SB, 1.0 fWAR
Lamonte Wade Jr. made just 86 plate appearances in May, but he drew more walks than any NL batter except Kyle Schwarber. His exceptional plate discipline allowed him to rank eighth in the league in fWAR, despite being 83rd in plate appearances.
The San Francisco Giants first baseman has always been adept at drawing walks, but he reached a new level this past month. The big question now is whether manager Bob Melvin will give him more opportunities against left-handed pitching or keep him on the strong side of a platoon.
This post by Leo Morgenstern appeared first on Just Baseball.
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Which NL Hitters Had The Best May?
Which National League hitters had the strongest May at the dish?
This post by Leo Morgenstern appeared first on Just Baseball.
Gold Medal Hitter of the Month: Bryce Harper, PHI
May Stats: 113 PA, 7 HR, 19 R, 24 RBI, .313/.407/.583, 2 SB, 1.4 fWAR
As the Philadelphia Phillies surged to the best record in baseball by May 31, Bryce Harper was crucial to their success.
After a slow start in April by his MVP standards, Harper ignited in May. He led the National League in RBIs, OPS, and FanGraphs WAR for the month, and tied with Shohei Ohtani and Marcell Ozuna for the league lead in home runs.
Additionally, Harper has been playing exceptional defense at first base. Two months into the season, he ranks second among all first basemen in Outs Above Average.
Silver Medal Hitter of the Month: Shohei Ohtani, LAD
May Stats: 104 PA, 7 HR, 16 R, 19 RBI, .312/.385/.591, 8 SB, 1.2 fWAR
Shohei Ohtani narrowly missed our Player of the Month podium in April, and it would be a mistake to overlook him two months in a row.
The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar led the NL in slugging percentage (.591), wRC+ (179), and Win Probability Added (1.71) in May. He was also a perfect 8-for-8 in stolen bases, and despite contributing only offensively, he finished second to Bryce Harper in fWAR.
For the season, Ohtani leads the NL in OPS, wOBA, xwOBA, and wRC+, positioning himself as a strong contender against teammate Mookie Betts in the NL MVP race.
Bronze Medal Hitter of the Month: Jurickson Profar, SDP
May Stats: 112 PA, 4 HR, 18 R, 18 RBI, .344/.438/.490, 2 SB, 1.2 fWAR
Jurickson Profar's outstanding performance this season is impossible to ignore. He has been the San Diego Padres' most valuable player in both of the first two months and is among the league's top hitters by nearly every metric. In May, Profar led the NL in on-base percentage and was second only to his new teammate, two-time batting champion Luis Arraez, in batting average. He also ranked in the top 10 NL batters in hits, walks, runs, RBI, OPS, and wRC+.
While some still doubt if Profar can maintain this level of play all season, his impressive performance in May has certainly silenced those doubts for now.
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Honorable Mention: LaMonte Wade Jr., SFG
May Stats: 86 PA, 1 HR, 11 R, 9 RBI, .333/.488/.409, 0 SB, 1.0 fWAR
Lamonte Wade Jr. made just 86 plate appearances in May, but he drew more walks than any NL batter except Kyle Schwarber. His exceptional plate discipline allowed him to rank eighth in the league in fWAR, despite being 83rd in plate appearances.
The San Francisco Giants first baseman has always been adept at drawing walks, but he reached a new level this past month. The big question now is whether manager Bob Melvin will give him more opportunities against left-handed pitching or keep him on the strong side of a platoon.
This post by Leo Morgenstern appeared first on Just Baseball.
Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
Which NL Hitters Had The Best May?
Which National League hitters had the strongest May at the dish?
This post by Leo Morgenstern appeared first on Just Baseball.
