Mets' Jeff McNeil Captures First Batting Title of Career

Mets' Jeff McNeil captures first batting title of career.

Back in May, Francisco Lindor told Jeff McNeil he would buy him a car if McNeil won the batting title.

Five months later, it looks like McNeil will be cruising around in some new wheels.

Coming into Game 162 on Wednesday, McNeil led the National League with a .326 batting average, four points ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman.

Freeman would have had to go 4-for-4 at the dish to supplant McNeil atop the league, and to start the game, Freeman began threatening.

The longtime Atlanta Brave and first-year Dodger started 2-for-2 before flying out in his third at-bat.

Mets manager Buck Showalter opted to sit McNeil in the final game of the regular season, which paid off.

McNeil, who ended July hitting .294, and has since hit .371, becomes just the second Met in history to win the batting title. Shortstop Jose Reyes did it in 2011 to beat out Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers.

After a down year in 2021, McNeil rebounded in a big way this season. In 147 games, McNeil logged a .326/.382/.454 triple slash, a .365 wOBA, 143 wRC+ and has been worth 5.9 fWAR.

Apart from his strong offensive campaign, McNeil provided the team versatility in the field, with five defensive runs saved combined between several positions, mostly second base and left field.

For McNeil, however, it remains to be seen what kind of vehicle Lindor will gift him.

“I didn’t say what kind of car,” Lindor said, tongue in cheek. 

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