[Mick]

LOL, this is kind of a meta-moneyball article:

https://www.wsj.com/sports/baseball/tamp..._permalink

Basically, one of the first conclusions of moneyball was “don’t bunt” because trading an out for advancing a runner is not worth it.  However, the meta moneyball lesson is to get players who possess skills that have been devalued by baseball writers large, and because of moneyball, one of those skills is now the ability to lay down a good bunt.  Ergo, the Rays have made a killing out of finding players, cheaply, who are capable of bunting well.  And, because nobody else bunts, pitchers panic when presented with a bunt in front of them.

Per the article, the Rays have laid down 134 bunts, and gotten 49 bunt hits, which comes to an amazing .366 average, while bunting (even if you consider sacrifices batting attempts)!

BC

I'd be curious about the Giants bunting for a hit. They had 22 sacrifice bunts in 2025, and almost doubled it to 41 in 2026. Supposedly, they had 14 hits in 28 situations in which they tried to bunt for a hit.

[Mick]

LOL, this is kind of a meta-moneyball article:

https://www.wsj.com/sports/baseball/tamp..._permalink

Basically, one of the first conclusions of moneyball was “don’t bunt” because trading an out for advancing a runner is not worth it.  However, the meta moneyball lesson is to get players who possess skills that have been devalued by baseball writers large, and because of moneyball, one of those skills is now the ability to lay down a good bunt.  Ergo, the Rays have made a killing out of finding players, cheaply, who are capable of bunting well.  And, because nobody else bunts, pitchers panic when presented with a bunt in front of them.

Per the article, the Rays have laid down 134 bunts, and gotten 49 bunt hits, which comes to an amazing .366 average, while bunting (even if you consider sacrifices batting attempts)!

BC

I'd be curious about the Giants bunting for a hit. They had 22 sacrifice bunts in 2025, and almost doubled it to 41 in 2026. Supposedly, they had 14 hits in 28 situations in which they tried to bunt for a hit.