Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez has yet to hit below .294 over the course of a big-league season. He won the National League batting title a year ago. Even those accomplishments, however, couldn't hint at what Arraez had in store for this year.
Arraez went 5-for-5 in Miami's 11–0 win over the Blue Jays on Monday evening in Miami, raising his batting average from .388 (97-for-250) to .400 (102-for-255).
The All-Star singled in the first, third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings, becoming the first player to cross the 100-hit threshold in 2023.
Arraez's progress has been closely watched this season as no hitter has eclipsed .400 in the American or National League since Red Sox left fielder Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941. The closest approach in the eight decades since was made by Padres outfielder and Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn in 1994; he was hitting .394 when the season was terminated by a strike in August.
In addition to his season-long feats, Arraez became the first player to record three five-hit games in a 15-game span since Tigers center fielder Ty Cobb in 1922.
Luis Arraez of the @Marlins is the second MLB player in the modern era to have three 5-hit games in a 15-game span.
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) June 20, 2023
The other was Ty Cobb in July 1922.
The Marlins, meanwhile, hold the National League’s top wild-card spot with a sterling 42–31 record and are just 4.5 games behind the Braves for first place in the NL East.
