Inside the Astros

Houston Astros Dominating Old-School Offensive Statistic

The Houston Astros are dominating one of baseball's most famous statistics.

Tyler Maher

Sep 7, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve hits a double against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Sep 7, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve hits a double against the Arizona Diamondbacks. / Erik Williams-Imagn Images
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Who says batting average doesn't matter?

One of baseball's oldest and simplest statistics, batting average doesn't carry the same weight among MLB fans that it used to. Thanks to the invention of more advanced and nuanced stats, batting average has lost some of its luster in recent years.

That said, batting average is still important, even if it's not the end-all, be-all that it used to be. Hits lead to runs, and teams with higher batting averages tend to have better offenses.

Just look at the Houston Astros. Entering play on Sunday, they lead the American League in both hits (1,268) and batting average (.261). Not surprisingly, they also lead the AL West by 5.5 games over the cratering Seattle Mariners, who rank dead-last in MLB in hits and batting average (yes, even worse than the Chicago White Sox).

It helps that the Astros have several of the best hitters in baseball, including three players who rank in MLB's top 10 in batting average. They're the only team with more than one, in part because of their hitter-friendly home park.

Designated hitter/outfielder Yordan Alvarez leads Houston at .313, ranking fourth in the Major Leagues. That would match his career-high from his AL Rookie of the Year campaign in 2019 and has helped bring his lifetime average up to .299.

Second baseman Jose Altuve ranks second on the Astros and eighth in MLB at an even .300. The former MVP is no stranger to high batting averages, as his career .307 mark leads all active players. He's a three-time batting champion who already has seven .300 seasons under his belt and is closing in on his eighth.

Catcher Yainer Diaz is just a few points under .300 at .296, placing him third on Houston and 10th in the Big Leagues. The 25-year-old is only in his second full season but has already established himself as one of the best backstops in baseball, comfortably pacing the position in batting average this year.

Batting average may not mean what it used to, but don't tell that to the Astros.

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Tyler Maher

TYLER MAHER

Tyler grew up in Massachusetts and is a huge Boston sports fan, especially the Red Sox. He went to Tufts University and played club baseball for the Jumbos. Since graduating, he has worked for MLB.com, The Game Day, FanDuel and Forbes. When he's not writing about baseball, he enjoys running, traveling, and playing fetch with his golden retriever.

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