Every Monday Baseball Musings compares the offense of the current season to the previous season through the same number of full weeks. Through twelve weeks, the 2022 season produced 8.67 runs per game compared to 8.80 runs per game in 2021. As has been the case during this season, the shape of that scoring changed. All three-true outcomes are down. Home runs dropped from 2.33 per game to 2.16 per game. Walks dropped from 6.61 per game to 6.24 per game. Strikeouts dropped from 17.84 per game to 16.67 per game*.

*I have heard announcers say we are on an historic pace for strikeouts. Maybe if you take the entire history of baseball that’s true, but give recent years it’s somewhat better. Also, given that steady rise in K’s over time, that statement is almost always true.

What did increase are the other hits, non-homers. Those are up from 13.46 per game to 14.10 per game. More balls in play, more hits. Just what the doctor ordered.

Last week saw the majors score 8.61 runs per game. That’s three weeks in a row under 9.0 runs per game after three weeks in a row above that optimal mark. Home runs are up a bit in that time while other hits are down. It seems teams are adjusting quickly to the new style of offense.