MLB Standings ordered by batting average: Yankees in bad spot (with strange bedfellow)

The New York Yankees built the foundation of their modern era on power and patience. That meant high OBPs and high dinger outputs, occasionally at the expense of batting average. So it goes.

But what happens when the OBPs are kind of middling, the homers are decent, the slugging is minimal, and the average still isn't there?

The 2023 MLB standings ordered by team batting average place the Yankees about where you'd expect for a team that regularly bats Willie Calhoun fifth: 22nd in the league, hanging out by the bottom feeders.

Remember when this team used to hit, but couldn't pitch? Can't we just match 'em for once?

Seeing the Yankees, a franchise that made their hay on being an offensive juggernaut, all the way down at No. 22 is an embarrassing indictment on offensive roster constructi--hey, is that the DODGERS?! What are *they* doing down there?

MLB standings based off of team batting average:

1. Tampa Bay Rays (.280)
2. Chicago Cubs (.276)
3. Philadelphia Phillies (.275)
4. St. Louis Cardinals (.269)
5. Toronto Blue Jays (.261)
6. Arizona Diamondbacks (.260)
7. Texas Rangers (.258)
8. Pittsburgh Pirates (.258)
9. Atlanta Braves (.255)
10. Baltimore Orioles (.254)
11. Los Angeles Angels (.253)
12. Boston Red Sox (.252)
13. Houston Astros (.251)
14. Washington Nationals (.248)
15. Milwaukee Brewers (.247)
16. Miami Marlins (.244)
17. Colorado Rockies (.243)
18. New York Mets (.242)
19. San Francisco Giants (.240)
20. Cincinnati Reds (.236)
21. Minnesota Twins (.234)
22. New York Yankees (.232)
23. Cleveland Guardians (.231)
24. Chicago White Sox (.231)
25. Oakland Athletics (.224)
26. Los Angeles Dodgers (.223)
27. Seattle Mariners (.223)
28. Detroit Tigers (.216)
29. San Diego Padres (.215)
30. Kansas City Royals (.215)

That's right. The Dodgers, otherwise known as the paragon of roster-building these past few years, took their foot off the gas pedal (Yankees style) this winter, turning a few positions over to the kids and adding stopgaps in place of stars. It's gotten them ... close to Yankees-level production offensively (though at least they've socked 45 dingers to New York's 34).

Batting average is far from the game's most important statistic these days. People know better. "Low average, high power" is a common archetype of the modern game, not a failing. Of course ... being ranked at the very bottom, among the A's, White Sox, Tigers, and Royals, indicates that there's still a strong correlation between low average and likely failure (also, Padres ... woof).

And, in case you're wondering, the Yankees are 17th in slugging and 21st in OBP. It doesn't get much better.

Reinforcements might be coming ... someday ... in theory, but Giancarlo Stanton is the only certain difference-maker currently on the IL. We're not sure who's walking through that door this summer, but hopefully, whichever additions are nigh have an ability to put bat on ball and leave the yard.