Luis Arráez’s Pursuit of a .400 Batting Average: Echoing Ted Williams Legacy

(Article image creds: Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Originally published June 6th, 2023, for Kill That Noise

Miami Marlins infielder Luis Arráez is exceptionally close to doing something that hasn’t been done since 1941, having a .400 batting average. That is what legendary Boston Red Sox player and Hall of Famer Ted Williams did that season. Arráez is currently batting .399, and while it may seem he came out of nowhere, as he is not a household name, he did not.

But Arráez is no stranger to high batting averages. He led the American League in batting average last year with a .316 average.

The Marlins infielder came to Miami this past offseason in a trade that sent three players, including Pablo López, to the Minnesota Twins. That trade has paid off for the Marlins so far. After the 2025 season, Arráez will become a free agent and, if he keeps up his insane numbers, get his first significant payday.

He has batted above .300 every season since his debut in 2019, except in 2021, when he batted just under .300 at .294.

When Williams batted .406 in 1941, The Hall of Famer didn’t know that .400 would be a legendary accomplishment. The Hall of Famer once said:

“If I had known hitting .400 was going to be such a big deal, I would have done it again.”

Who knows if we will see a .400 batting average season again, mainly because you must have a .300 average to be considered exceptional. Time will tell if it will happen again, whether that be Arráez or someone else.