NEW YORK — Jeff McNeil stayed on top without taking a swing.
Nursing a four-point lead in the big league batting race, McNeil was not in the New York Mets’ lineup Wednesday for their regular-season finale against Washington. He only played defense after entering late and finished with the highest average in the majors — one point ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman.
“It’s definitely a dream come true,” McNeil said. “This is one of my goals in baseball is to win a batting title.”
Mets manager Buck Showalter said it was his decision to sit McNeil as New York prepped for a wild-card playoff series versus the San Diego Padres that begins Friday night.
“Wouldn’t put that on him,” Showalter said. “The most important thing is Friday. Everything else takes second.”
Showalter, however, hinted McNeil could have come off the bench earlier if he needed a hit or two to hold off Freeman for the National League batting crown.
“I don’t trust my math well enough to — I got some help. Don’t want to be wrong,” Showalter said before the game, drawing a laugh. “So at least I’ll have somebody to blame it on, even though I’ll have to wear it.”
McNeil led the majors with a .326 average. Minnesota’s Luis Arraez won the AL batting crown with a .316 average, making it first-time batting champions in both leagues.
“He earned it all the way,” Showalter said of McNeil. “To be able to give him a moment that he deserves — he doesn’t ask for it, and he would have played tonight, and all those things. He earned everything.”
Freeman was at .322 after going 0-for-4 on Tuesday night versus Colorado, and needed to go 4-for-4 or better Wednesday to top McNeil. The 2020 NL MVP went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs to finish at .325.
“I was close,” Freeman said. “I gave it a run.”
McNeil and his teammates were watching, as the start of New York’s game was delayed almost two hours by rain.
“You get a little bit nervous. He’s swinging the bat well. It’s Freddie Freeman. Four…
Source : espn
