When you take a look at the league leaders around Major League Baseball so far this season, there are plenty of guys that you’d expect to see.
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani obviously is near the top of the league in a handful of categories. New York Yankees star slugger Aaron Judge is among the league’s best home run hitters this year, which shouldn’t shock anyone. San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller is the best overall reliever in baseball. The list goes on. But there are also surprises. How about Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami tied with Judge for the league lead in homers with 13? Or, Los Angeles Angels starter José Soriano potentially being the most dominant starter in baseball?
There have been some shockers, and some performances around the league that fans have come to expect from the stars out there.
With that being said, let’s take a look at where the league leaders are sitting through May 3rd action.
Offensive League Leaders
|
Home Runs |
Total |
|---|---|
|
1. Aaron Judge, NYY |
13 |
|
1. Munetaka Murakami, CHW |
13 |
|
3. Yordan Álvarez, HOU |
12 |
|
3. Ben Rice, NYY |
12 |
|
5. Matt Olson, ATL |
11 |
|
Batting Average |
Total |
|---|---|
|
1. Ildemaro Vargas, ARI |
.382 |
|
2. Ben Rice, NYY |
.343 |
|
3. Otto Lopez, MIA |
.341 |
|
4. Xavier Edwards, MIA |
.336 |
|
4. Shea Langeliers, ATH |
.336 |
|
Runs Batted In |
Total |
|---|---|
|
1. Matt Olson, ATL |
31 |
|
2. Liam Hicks, MIA |
29 |
|
2. Drake Baldwin, ATL |
29 |
|
2. Sal Stewart, CIN |
29 |
|
5. Oneil Cruz, PIT |
28 |
|
Stolen Bases |
Total |
|---|---|
|
1. Nasim Nunez, WSH |
14 |
|
2. José Ramírez, CLE |
13 |
|
2. Jose Caballero, NYY |
13 |
|
4. Oneil Cruz, PIT |
11 |
|
4. Chandler Simpson |
11 |
The biggest surprise of this group certainly is Vargas. He hasn’t been the hottest overall hitter in the game and just had a 27-game hitting streak snapped. Plus, he was hitting over .400 on May 1. He’s playing at another level and fans should know about him. Judge and Murakami have been the most prolific sluggers in baseball so far this season. Judge and Murakami’s 13 homers have both come in 34 games. That’s a pace of 61.9 homers across 162 games played. Wouldn’t that be fun if we could have two sluggers pushing for 60 homers throughout the summer?
Pitching League Leaders
|
Wins |
Total |
|---|---|
|
1. Chris Sale, ATL |
6 |
|
2. José Soriano, LAA |
5 |
|
2. Landen Roupp, SF |
5 |
|
2. Justin Wrobleski, LAD |
5 |
|
2. Gavin Williams, CLE |
5 |
|
ERA |
Total |
|---|---|
|
1. Shohei Ohtani, LAD |
0.60 |
|
2. José Soriano, LAA |
0.84 |
|
3. Justin Wrobleski, LAD |
1.25 |
|
4. Cam Schlittler, NYY |
1.51 |
|
5. Clay Holmes, NYM |
1.69 |
|
Strikeouts |
Total |
|---|---|
|
1. Jacob Misiorowski, MIL |
59 |
|
2. Dylan Cease, TOR |
56 |
|
3. Gavin Williams, CLE |
53 |
|
4. Jesús Luzardo, PHI |
51 |
|
4. Nolan McLean, NYM |
51 |
It appears as though Chris Sale is aging backwards. He has made seven starts so far this season and has a 2.14 ERA and a 49-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 42 innings pitched. He had a tough few years over with the Boston Red Sox due to injuries, but is healthy and looks like a superstar at 37 years old.
Misiorowski has dazzled and has one of the most electric fastballs in the game. Ohtani has had his best start to a season from a pitching perspective in his career so far. Arguably, there hasn’t been a starter more dominant. But will he be able to rack up enough innings to make a run at the NL Cy Young Award? Soriano has come out of nowhere and should be the favorite in the American League right now.
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