George Brett’s Pursuit of .400 More than 40 Years Ago Stands Test of Time

As the 2023 MLB regular season makes its way towards the All-Star break, one position player is eyeing the sport’s record book.

Miami Marlins infielder Luis Arraez still has a .400 batting average within his sights (.399 through June 27). No one has hit .400 since Ted Williams in 1941, but George Brett is one of the few to come close, when he hit .390 in 1980.

To put Brett’s historic 1980 season in perspective, we utilized data from Baseball-Reference.com to find which Royals have hit for the highest batting averages since his retirement following the 1993 season. For this list, we instituted MLB’s batting title qualifications of 3.1 plate appearances per scheduled games.

Because of Arraez’ heroics, Miami leads the National League Wild Card race. But Kansas sports betting sites still list the Marlins in the bottom half of the league when it comes to World Series odds at +6600.

$1,500 Paid Back in Bonus Bets If You Don't Win

Bonus Code: BETKSBONUS

Visit Site

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US) Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR) 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. This promotional offer is not available in DC, Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.

Best Royals Year-End Batting Averages

Despite his hot start, BetMGM Sportsbook Kansas lists Arraez at just +2000 odds to win the NL Most Valuable Player award.

Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr. has the best odds at -140.

Bet Match Up to $250

Promo Code: BETMOMAIL250BM

Visit Site

Must be 21+ and physically present in AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY or Washington, DC. New users only. Must register using eligible promo code. First wager after registration must qualify. Min. Odds: -500. Max. Bonus Bet: $250. Awarded as non-withdrawable Bonus Bet that expires 14 days after receipt. Bonus Bet amount not returned for winning bets. Void where prohibited. See http://Caesars.com/promos for full terms. Know When To Stop Before You Start®. Gambling Problem? CO, IL, KY, MD, MI, MO, NJ, OH, TN, VA, WV, WY, KS (Affiliated with Kansas Crossing Casino), ME (Licensed through the Mi’kmaq Nation, Penobscot Nation, and Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, federally recognized tribes located in the State of Maine), NC (Licensed through Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise), PA (Affiliated with Harrah's Philadelphia): If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) or MD: visit http://mdgamblinghelp.org or WV: visit http://1800gambler.net ; AZ: Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP; IN: Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT; IA: Call 1-800-BETSOFF; LA (Licensed through Horseshoe Bossier City and Caesars New Orleans), Washington, DC (OLG Class A licensed Operator): Call 1-800-522-4700. ©2025, Caesars Entertainment Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER DC, LA: Call 1-800-522-4700 MA: Call 1-800-327-5050 or visit http://gamblinghelplinema.org NY: Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369)

Few Royals Have Approached .400 Since Brett

When you gaze at the Royals’ batting average leaderboard post-Brett, it demonstrates how impressive his 1980 season was.

Kansas City’s year-end batting average leader since 1980 (Mike Sweeney in 2002) managed to hit .340. Sweeney has the three best batting average seasons for the Roayls since 1980.

The closest any other Royal came to hitting .400 was when outfielder Jermaine Dye finished the 2000 season with a .321 batting average. Eric Hosmer, who hit .318 in 2018, has the best season-long batting average of any Royal since 2011.

To put Arraez’s 2023 exploits into greater context, the Royals’ current batting average leader is third baseman Matt Duffy — the only K.C. everyday player to have an average above .300 (coming in at .303 entering Tuesday).

Duffy hasn’t played in enough games to qualify as the Royals’ leading hitter, however, leaving longtime backstop Salvador Perez as the team’s leading hitter at .263.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given Kansas City’s lack of hitting prowess, the Royals currently sit 22.5 games back of the Marlins — with a winning percentage (.282) that’s roughly half of Miami’s (.570).

Likewise, Kansas sports betting apps list Kansas City among a group of four teams with the worst World Series odds — +100000.