We already know the importance of getting on base since the movie Moneyball indicated that Oakland A’s focused on this stat. Even now, on-base percentage is still worth using to be an evaluative tool. Who’s the on-base machine in the 2021 season?
So, let’s take a look at on-base percentage.
It’s not a surprise to see Mike Trout is leading in on-base percentage, indeed. Trout currently has a .514 OBP and he’s the only player to have an over .500 OBP. Mike Trout had an OBP of .460 in 2018, which is his career high in a single season.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is having a great season so far. Now, he hits .340/.479/.617. Guerrero Jr. only drew 20 walks in 60 games last season and he becomes more patient this season. By far, Guerrero has 22 walks in 28 games, third most in the league. Max Muncy has 28 walks, leading the majors at this moment. Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero had an OBP of .426 in 2003 and it’s possible to see Guerrero Jr. to pass his father’s record.
Bryce Harper won the 2015 NL MVP and his OBP was .460 in that season. He’s slashing .317/.446/.598 thus far. Can he set a new career high in on-base percentage this season?
Yermin Mercedes is an early Rookie of the Year favorite now, he’s currently hitting .391/.430/.621. Both Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert are on the injured list, the White Sox will rely more on Yermin Mercedes’ production.
Ronald Acuna Jr. and J.D. Martinez each posts an OPS of .430 so far in 2021. Acuna is off to a brilliant start and becomes the first player to hit 10 home runs this season. He also draws 16 walks in 27 games. J.D. Martinez only hit .213/.291/.389 last season, however, he truly tells us that he’s back. Martinez is currently hitting .349/.430/.698 and he has 14 walks.
In addition, Byron Buxton slashes .386/.427/.819 so far and this is probably the long-awaited breakout season that the Twins are looking for. Buxton’s health issues limited his performance in the past few seasons. If Buxton stays healthy, will we see him finish a season with an OBP of .400? Moreover, 11 other players each have an over .400 OBP at this moment.
In baseball history, 19 players finished a season with an OBP of .500 or above. Barry Bonds set the single season record with a .609 OBP in 2004 and he was intentionally walked 120 times. Well, we don’t know if we will see Mike Trout have a .600 OBP this season. But, if Trout consistently plays as he does, it’s possible to see him finish the 2021 season with an above .500 OBP. What does that mean? Well, Mike Trout will be in the top 20 of the single-season record book for on-base percentage.
Each team has played around 30 games so far and of course, there are still a lot of games in this long season. It might be still early to say whether a player can finish a season with an over .500 on-base percentage. However, Mike Trout is off to a great start and he’s a very consistent player. If he keeps performing at this level, we might see a huge season from Trout. In the meantime, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is also off a great start this season. Can he consistently get on base in this long season? Is it possible to see two players finish the 2021 season with an above .500 OBP?
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