When was the last time an MLB player finished the season batting above .400?

Baseball players’ success rate in achieving a hit during an at-bat is measured by their batting average (AVG). This is calculated by dividing the number of hits they have by their at-bats.

In Major League Baseball’s (MLB) rich history, a select group of elite players has achieved the elusive .400 batting average mark. As of the latest data available, 42 players have accomplished this remarkable feat, with nine performing it more than once.

Breaking down the numbers, among the 42 players, 21 were right-handed batters, while 19 were left-handed. Two of these talented athletes were switch hitters, demonstrating their ability to bat proficiently from either side of the plate.

Interestingly, only three players in MLB history played exclusively for a single central league team and still reached the prestigious .400 mark. These players are Terry, Leonard, and Williams, who showcased unwavering loyalty to their respective teams.

One franchise, the Philadelphia Phillies, stands out as the sole team with four players who attained the coveted milestone while donning their uniform. Delahanty, Billy Hamilton, Sam Thompson, and Tuck Turner achieved a batting average of over .400 during the extraordinary 1894 season.

Furthermore, the annals of baseball history reveal that three players managed to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in the same year they reached the .400 batting average mark. These outstanding athletes are Tip O’Neill, Nap Lajoie, and the legendary Josh Gibson.

In a truly exceptional display of talent, several players also managed to clinch the Triple Crown alongside their .400 batting average achievement. This means they led their respective leagues in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in (RBI) during the same season. The notable names include Willie Wells, Mule Suttles, and the legendary Rogers Hornsby, who accomplished this remarkable feat twice.

Ray Dandridge left a lasting mark in MLB history with his stunning .432 batting average in 1934, setting a major league record for a rookie that remains unbroken. Although he narrowly missed the Negro National League’s batting title, his extraordinary performance is a testament to his skill and talent.

Ted Williams 1941 season

No offensive season has left a more indelible mark than Ted Williams’s remarkable performance in 1941. The Boston Red Sox legend’s batting prowess during that season is often hailed as the epitome of greatness in the sport. Despite his extraordinary achievements, the prestigious MVP award for that year would ultimately go to another iconic player, Joe DiMaggio.

At the heart of Williams’s sensational campaign was his awe-inspiring .406 batting average. This marked the first of six batting championships he would secure throughout his illustrious career. Notably, this extraordinary feat still stands as the highest single-season batting average in Red Sox history, and remarkably, it remains the highest batting average recorded in the major leagues since 1924.

Williams’s feat is even more extraordinary in that he maintained such a lofty average while consistently appearing in games, averaging at least 3.1 plate appearances per match. The last time any major league player achieved a batting average over .400 for an entire season under these circumstances was back in 1941, a testament to the rarity and magnificence of Williams’s achievement.

Williams humorously remarked on his historic accomplishment in 1991, “If I had known hitting .400 was going to be such a big deal, I would have done it again.” His witty comment underscores the sheer magnitude of his achievement and the enduring impact it has had on the sport of baseball.