Luis Arraez has likely locked up his third consecutive batting title, each coming with a different team.
He is the first player to win a batting title with three different teams. Arraez went 1-for-3 in the San Diego Padres’ regular season finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Arraez finished the season with a .314 batting average. Coming into today, Shohei Ohtani had a chance to catch or pass Arraez, but he finished with a .310 average. Technically, Marcell Ozuna who has a .304 average could pass Arraez in tomorrow’s crucial doubleheader between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets, but he would need to have a historic day.
After it becomes official tomorrow, Arraez will be the first Padre to win a batting title since Tony Gwynn, the namesake of the award given to the winner of the National League batting champion.
Arraez won the American League batting title with the Minnesota Twins in 2022 and the 2023 NL batting title with the Miami Marlins in 2023. Arraez began the year in Miami but was acquired by the Padres well before the trade deadline this season.
“What an amazing hitter, what an amazing guy,” Padres manager Mike Shildt told MLB.com following the game. “He’s been a huge part of this group. I think the record bears it out, since we acquired Luis, what he’s meant to this club.”
Arraez and the Padres will face either the Mets, Diamondbacks or Atlanta Braves in the postseason on October 1.
Photo: Luis Arraez of the San Diego Padres records his 200th hit of the season in the sixth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 29, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images)
