SF Giants hilariously led baseball in one lost art in 2024

Bunting is dead. Everyone knows that but do not tell the 2024 SF Giants. The team did not excel in many areas, but they did lead baseball in successfully bunting for hits.

SF Giants hilariously led baseball in one lost art in 2024

Typically, bunting for hits takes a bit of skill and a lot of speed. The Giants showed some improvement in the speed department this past season but they were still not the fleetest of foot. Nevertheless, they recorded 19 bunt hits and a .463 batting average on bunts this past season.

The Giants led baseball in batting average on bunts, narrowly beating out the Houston Astros (.455 batting average) and Seattle Mariners (.449 batting average). On the other hand, the Minnesota Twins were dead last with only two bunt hits and a .082 batting average.

Who led the Giants in batting average on bunts in 2024? You can probably guess that it was a left-handed hitter. Despite rules being implemented to limit shifts beginning in 2023, defenses still shade toward the right side of the field when a lefty is at the plate.

Not surprisingly, Brett Wisely led the club with four bunt hits and a .667 batting average on bunts. Nick Ahmed, Mike Yastrzemski, Tyler Fitzgerald, and Patrick Bailey were all tied for second with three bunt hits apiece.

Batting averages around baseball have declined in recent seasons. That is a function of several factors including improved velocity, pitch designs and strategies, and better defensive positioning. It is very, very hard to even make contact with a baseball these days.

Not surprisingly, the league posted a .243 batting average in 2024. They did have a .312 batting average on bunts, so maybe the solution is just to bunt more, right?

Despite the success rate, this will not encourage teams to go back to the basics and work on bunting. That is a thing of the past, especially when it comes to moving runners over.

However, if teams are going to give the hitter a free base hit, it would be wise to take advantage every now and again. This is even truer for a player like Wisely who needs to find different ways to contribute. Anyways, the Giants are still searching for a general manager and the playoffs continue, so the news cycle has slowed to a halt.