The Minnesota Twins’ Luis Arraez got a Louis Vuitton roller bag from Carlos Correa and the New York Mets’ Jeff McNeil is being gifted a car by Francisco Lindor after they won the MLB’s batting titles on the final day of the season on Wednesday.
“I couldn’t sleep last night, just thinking and thinking about it,” Arraez said after edging the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge to become American League batting champion. “I’m living a dream right now. This is amazing for me because I worked hard for this.”
Arraez finished with a 0.316 average after going one for one with a pair of walks against the Chicago White Sox — who they beat 10-1 — the lowest average for an AL batting champion since the Boston Red Sox’s Carl Yastrzemski at 0.301 in 1968. Correa gave him the luxury luggage.
Photo: AFP
“He sets an example for us,” Arraez said. “He’s a leader and I love that guy a lot.”
Judge was held out by Yankees manager Aaron Boone for their 4-2 loss against the Texas Rangers, a day after hitting his AL record 62nd home run to break the mark Roger Maris set in 1961. Judge missed out on a Triple Crown.
McNeil made it first-time batting champions in both leagues. His 0.326 average was one point ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman in the National League.
Photo: AP
McNeil sat out until the eighth inning of the regular-season finale against the Washington Nationals and did not have a plate appearance in their 9-2 win. Needing to go four for four to catch McNeil, Freeman doubled and homered in his first two at-bats in their 6-1 win over the Colorado Rockies.
“You get a little bit nervous,” McNeil said. “Four hits is normal for him.”
Freeman’s flyout to the warning track in center field in the fifth ended his hopes on a three for four afternoon.
“One of my goals in baseball is to win a batting title,” said McNeil, who topped 0.300 three times before slumping to .0.251 last year. “I wanted to get back to who I am.”
Meanwhile, the owner of a sports memorabilia auction house said he has offered US$2 million to the fan who caught Judge’s 62nd home run.
J.P. Cohen, president of Memory Lane Inc in Tustin, California, told reporters that he has texted and e-mailed Cory Youmans, the man who caught Judge’s milestone shot at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday.
Cohen said Youmans had not yet replied.
“I feel the offer is way above fair, if he is inclined to sell it,” Cohen said in a telephone interview.
Cohen said his company has a good relationship with the Yankees and it would be willing to loan the ball to the team for an exhibit.
Youmans, who is from Dallas, works in the financial world. He was asked on Tuesday what he planned to do with the prize while security personnel whisked him away to have it authenticated.
“Good question. I haven’t thought about it,” he said.
In other games, it was:
‧ Athletics 3, Angels 2
‧ Astros 3, Phillies 2
‧ Brewers 2, Diamondbacks 4
‧ Guardians 9, Royals 2
‧ Mariners 5, Tigers 4
‧ Marlins 12, Braves 9
‧ Orioles 5, Blue Jays 4 (G1)
‧ Orioles 1, Blue Jays 5 (G2)
‧ Padres 1, Giants 8
‧ Pirates 5, Cardinals 3
‧ Red Sox 6, Rays 3
‧ Reds 2, Cubs 15
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