Seattle Mariners: 5 lessons learned from an unexpectedly good 2020 season
Kyle Lewis, Seattle Mariners.
Lewis is the real deal
Mariners fans don’t need me to tell them Kyle Lewis is the real deal. 2020’s should-be American League Rookie of the Year was a revelation to those who don’t follow the team. What he did last September was a huge clue as to what he could accomplish in 2021.
Before the short season began, I reviewed quite a bit of video on Lewis. I remember thinking, if he could show just a little more patience at the plate, he’d be an all-star. Well, he upped his on-base percentage from .293 to .364.
Obviously, as the team’s best hitter, he was pitched around quite a bit. But Lewis also didn’t chase pitches out of the zone as much as he’d done before. Also, Lewis hit for a .341 average on balls he put in play. Imagine what Lewis could do if Seattle had a few other legitimate offensive threats in the lineup so pitchers would have to face him.
Even without many runners on base ahead of him or support behind him, Lewis put up outstanding numbers. He hit .265 with 11 home runs (T17th in AL), 37 runs scored (T 11th), .801 OPS (25th), 126 OPS+ (20th).
Not only did the rookie shine at the plate, but he also played strong defensive centerfield. At times it was Griffey Jr.-esque. Lewis is a legitimate five-tool player and will improve as the team improves.