By the Numbers: Paul Goldschmidt’s roller coaster season
Jul 19, 2018, 11:06 AM | Updated: 11:20 am
Arizona Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt watches his single off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tyler Anderson during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 10, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
D-backs first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has endured the most roller coaster season of his career. Despite the lows of the 2018 season, Goldschmidt made his sixth consecutive All-Star team and will prove a pivotal role in the second half of the D-backs’ season.
Here’s a look at Goldschmidt’s first half of the season.
.198
Goldschmidt’s batting average on May 22 following a 1-0 loss to the Brewers in Milwaukee. This was the lowest his batting average had fallen in his career.
31.5%
Goldschmidt’s strikeout rate in the month of May. Possessing a patient eye at the plate will net you plenty of strikeouts, and Goldschmidt is no exception. But in May, he was unable to get in any sort of rhythm in the batter’s box as he was consistently tardy on fastballs and fooled by breaking balls.
.738
The moment the flipped switched. Goldschmidt slugged .738 in the month of June, and excelled hitting on the road. On his way to winning the National League player of the month, Goldschmidt hit 10 home runs, eight doubles, one triple and drove in 23 runs.
.377
As good as Goldschmidt’s June was, he has been hitting for a higher average in July. After posting a highly impressive .360 average in June, he’s maintained that torrid pace at the temperatures heat up throughout the country.
13.4%
The percent of Goldschmidt’s plate appearances that ended in walks. As one of the game’s most patient hitters, his ability to get on base in a variety ways is one of the key reasons he’s become an offensive force.
110
Goldschmidt still leads the National League in strikeouts mainly due to the first two months of the season where he struck out in more than 30 percent of his at-bats. Not surprisingly, he has cut his strikeout rate down to 21 percent in June and July as he’s turned his season around.
.281/.386/.534
Goldschmidt’s slash line entering the second half of the season. If the D-backs are going to make the postseason in consecutive seasons, they will need him to produce like June and July over the stretch run.
