McNeil’s Silver Bat

Jeff McNeil finished the season strong with a 10-game hitting streak to raise his batting average from .314 to an NL-best .326, or one point better than Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers. McNeil was held out of the rain-delayed season finale and after it was clear he won the title he acknowledged the fans at Citi Field. “I expect to be a .300 hitter every year,” McNeil said. “This is the player I want to be for the rest of my career.” For winning the batting title, McNeil would receive a silver bat from Louisville Slugger but he also received a car from teammate Francisco Lindor who made the promise early in the season to snap McNeil out of a slump. It was the second batting title in Mets history after Jose Reyes won it in 2011.