Only Yelich…. Just him this year….has a better OPS+ than Hiura did last year. Last year Hiura, folks….And I am talking about Hiura’s wacky MLB time in 2022… being yanked around….Up and down from AAA, in and out of lineup, different positions, pulled late in games, or just giving him a pinch hit at bat.
There was a time last year when he went 12-42 (.285 BA, .884 OPS) between June 9 and July 10, 2022. He then was sent down inexcusably.
Hiura struggles with defense. Yep.
Hiura strikes out too much. Yep.
I just assumed that the bat still plays, especially with the DH present!!
But there is still that road for him here in 2023. The DH allows a good bat to just hit and not play the field. This bat also isn’t required to bat high in the lineup where superior bats live. Then again, maybe they don’t need any help in the DH area….. Let me check that DH OPS again.