The Braves are heating up, and all the talk right now is swirling around the hot streak of Ronald Acuna Jr. However, one storyline that has become lost in the midst of all the leadoff home runs and wins lately is the friendly competition between Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis for the NL batting title.
Markakis is currently the leader atop the National League with a .324 batting average. Markakis made his first all-star appearance and has been one of the most clutch hitters in baseball. His combination of experience and finally being back at health has rewarded him with an arguably career-best year, and winning a batting title would be such a great honor for a consummate professional who never misses a game and has constantly been overlooked.
For Freddie Freeman, it is just business as usual. Freeman showed how much of a contact-first hitter he truly is during the Home Run Derby. He has been hitting his prime for the past few seasons but is finally getting the spotlight he deserves with the Braves’ success this season. Freeman trails Markakis at a .320 clip, with Chrisitan Yelich at third hitting .310.
This just goes to show how great this Braves offense has been this season. Hopefully, Freeman and Markakis can push each other and continue to make this playoff push. With two special players in Acuna and Albies hitting before these two, the Braves can keep up with any high-powered offense on any given day.