The MLB average offensive line through Thursday evening games was .242/.312/.395 for a .707 OPS.
Batting averages have slowly been declining since 2006, when the average was .269, and currently it’s lowest since 1968 when it was .237 (Per Baseball Reference).
On-base percentage is the lowest it’s been since 1972, when it was .311.
Slugging percentage is under .400 for the first time since 2014, which is also the year OPS bottomed out at .700 before the uptick in power.
One of your first questions, or thoughts, might surround the pitchers, but strikeouts are at 8.33, a drop of 0.35 from 2021. It’s lowest rate since 2017.
All of the angst of Pittsburgh Pirates fans aside — and it’s a lot angst — offense is drastically down this season. Surprisingly, the Pirates throwing in a 21-0 defeat every now and then isn’t helping league-wide numbers.
This isn’t to say “The Pirates aren’t THAT bad”, as they still would only have four healthy batters with an above average OPS: Bryan Reynolds, Daniel Vogelbach, Ben Gamel, and Jack Suwinski. Though, it could bode well for a hitter like Suwinski if they ever introduce live baseballs again.
Is baseball entering another deadball era?
PIRATES @ BREWERS
Time: 4:10 PM EST
Pirates Starter: Zach Thompson, (3-6, 4.42)
Brewers Starter: Brandon Woodruff (7-3, 3.95)
Thompson Notes: Zach Thompson will match up against Brandon Woodruff for the second time in a week. On July 3rd, Thompson went 4.2 innings, while giving up the only two runs that would decide the game. Pirates starters have managed to go at least five innings in each game since Thompson’s last start, and he’ll look to continue that trend in his second game back from the injured list.
LINEUPS:
Pirates
Saturday afternoon baseball.#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/4gAJan2gsg
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 9, 2022
Brewers
On our way to where the air is sweet.
