Otto Lopez leads the MLB in hits

Two years ago, Otto Lopez had a batting average of .270, with 109 hits in 117 games. Last year, his batting average dropped to .246 (134 hits in 143 games).

The Quebec native, however, has stepped up his game this season, finishing the current campaign at the top of the entire MLB in hits.

The Miami Marlins outfielder recorded 191 hits in 157 games this season—six more than any other player in the league. He also stole 34 bases, a personal best.

Otto Lopez is the 2026 MLB hits leader! https://t.co/Q8rMoFxnT8 pic.twitter.com/ZDIvmCgDWk

— MLB (@MLB) September 28, 2026

Lopez finished the season with a .305 batting average, despite a slight drop in power compared to last season, as evidenced by his 15 home runs last year versus 11 this year.

The 27-year-old, however, made up for it with significantly better contact at the plate—a direct result of the changes he made to his approach at the plate and his swing mechanics.

This even nearly earned him the National League batting title, as he finished third in batting average, just behind Gabriel Moreno (.311) of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Luis Arraez (.310) of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Lopez thus came within a hair's breadth of becoming the fourth Marlins player to win the National League batting title, with the first three being Luis Arraez (2023), Dee Gordon (2015), and Hanley Ramirez (2009).

This is an exceptional achievement for Lopez, who also appeared in the MLB All-Star Game and established himself as a prominent figure in Major League Baseball in 2026.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.