Very soon, the 2023 regular season will come to an end. Hence, October baseball is just around the corner. This is always one of the most exciting moments in baseball. Before October baseball arrives, let’s quickly take a look at those players who had a great September.
Firstly, let’s look at hitting performance.
In September, Marcell Ozuna had 18 extra base hits. He crushed 7 home runs and collected 22 RBI. He owned an OPS over .900. At the same time, Seiya Suzuki has been hot. His OPS was over 1.000 in August. In September, he didn’t stop. Suzuki hit .370/.434/.685 and he collected 18 extra base hits. 7 of those extra base hits were home runs.
Meanwhile, Gunnar Henderson had 17 extra base hits last month. He made his MLB debut on August 31, 2022. The 2023 season is his first full season in the majors. Nonetheless, he didn’t have a great start at the beginning of this season. His OPS was below .700 in April. But he gradually heats up. By far, he already blasted 20+ home runs this season. In September, he slashed .275/.304/.542 with 6 home runs and 17 RBI. Additionally, Marcus Semien had 17 XBHs as well. Semien’s OPS was over .900 in September. He blasted 9 home runs and collected 19 RBI over 28 games.
In addition, Ronald Acuna Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Brandon Nimmo and Juan Soto each had 16 extra base hits in September. These 4 players each owned an OPS over 1.000 last month. In particular, Acuna Jr. and Soto each blasted 10+ home runs.
Now, let’s shift our focus on pitching.
In the AL East, Gerrit Cole had a 1.03 ERA and a 0.69 WHIP through 35 innings in September and he punched out 34 batters. He only allowed 3 free passes last month. Meanwhile, Kyle Bradish made 5 starts for the Orioles, posting a 2.18 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP. Opponents’ batting average against these 2 pitchers was below .200.
When we look at the pitchers who posted a WHIP below 1.00 in September, there are 2 pitchers from the Brewers. Freddy Peralta owned a 3.38 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP over 26.2 innings. In particular, he only allowed a walk last month. In the meantime, Corbin Burnes, who won the 2021 NL Cy Young award, had a great September as well. Burnes posted a 2.51 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP through 28.2 innings.
Finally, another pitcher who used to win the Cy Young award had a fantastic September. Blake Snell made 5 starts last month, posting a 0.58 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP over 31 innings. Opponents’ batting average against him was only .123 in September.
Looking at these players’ performances in September, there’s something worth watching. The Orioles clinched a berth in the postseason for the first time since 2016, Gunnar Henderson and Kyle Bradish had played well in September. However, can they continue great performances in October? Moreover, Marcell Ozuna and Marcus Semien each had an OPS over .900 in September, will they become dangerous batters in the playoffs this year? Furthermore, it seems that the Brewers have a great rotation. Will great pitching staff help the Brewers have an unforgettable postseason?
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