Being an MLB catcher is grueling work. That's not slowing this year's best on offense

Milwaukee Brewers’ William Contreras rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Houston. San Francisco Giants’ Heliot Ramos hits a two-run single in front of Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto during the seventh inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Monday, May 27, 2024.

Leading the way are Kansas City’s Salvador Perez , Milwaukee’s William Contreras , the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Will Smith , Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman , Philadelphia’s J.T. Realmuto and Colorado’s Elias Díaz . No catcher has ended a year with an OPS of .900 or higher with at least 502 plate appearances since San Francisco’s Buster Posey at .957 in 2012.

Fox analyst A.J. Pierzynski, who caught in the majors from 1998-2016, downplayed the impact of the one-knee-down approach on catchers’ improved hitting. Pierzynski points out that catchers still face plenty of challenges physically and mentally. “When there was no DH in the National League, your days off were kind of your days off,” Contreras said through an interpreter. “Now we’re kind of able to treat my DH days as my days off and we’re able to keep my bat in the lineup for the team. It definitely helps.”

“Let’s say you’re Adley Rutschman,” Pierzynski said. “, ‘How are we going to get Aaron Judge out today? Guess what, I don’t have to worry about it because I’m a DH. All I’ve got to do is worry about is how I’m going to get a hit and drive in some runs for these guys.’”Perez has missed just two games and Rutschman has sat out just three this season.

William Contreras Milwaukee Adley Rutschman Los Angeles Dodgers Salvador Perez OH State Wire MO State Wire MLB WI State Wire Willson Contreras Stephen Vogt J.D. Martinez Sports Jose Trevino MLB Baseball Buster Posey Will Smith Derek Shelton J.T. Realmuto

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