In the previous column, I wrote about the results of my research on the home run and batting average rankings of all the Run Batted In (RBIs)–leading hitters in each league since the start of modern Major League Baseball. This time, I'll present the results of my research on the batting average rankings of all the league–leading home run hitters since the start of modern Major League Baseball, and conversely, the home run rankings of all the league–leading batting average hit

At the conclusion of last year's (2025) regular season, I noticed something surprising regarding the players who led their respective leagues in Runs Batted In (RBIs). In the National League, the RBI leader was Kyle Schwarber, who also topped the league in home runs. While this fact didn't seem odd, I was surprised to find his batting average ranked extremely low—60th in the league. Meanwhile, the American League RBI leader was Cal Raleigh—who also led the league in home run

This year, 2026, Shohei Ohtani's low home run count has become a major topic of discussion in both Japan and the US. In 2024, Ohtani hit a league-leading 54 home runs, and in 2025, he hit a career-high 55 home runs, ranking second in the league. It's fair to say that everyone recognized Ohtani as a hitter capable of hitting many home runs. However, as of the end of May 2026, Ohtani’s home run count is only 10. If he continues at this pace, he will finish the season with 27