In the Cubs’ 155th game of the season, rookie Kris Bryant collected his 99th RBI of the year, giving him six games for an opportunity to become the 39th rookie to reach the 100 RBI mark. In those final half dozen games, the right-handed slugger went 3-for-23 and struck out 10 times to bring his National League-leading and rookie record-setting strikeout total to 199.
But the favorite to win the N.L. Rookie of the Year Award had a standout first season in the majors with his 31 doubles, 26 home runs, 13 stolen bases, 77 walks, .275 batting average, .372 on-base percentage, .488 slugging mark, 87 runs and 99 RBI.
He became the 80th player to finish a season one RBI shy of 100, along with Washington’s MVP candidate Bryce Harper, who ended his campaign with 42 homers and 99 RBI. Harper is one of 17 other players who have had a 40-homer season without driving in 100 runs. The others to accomplish this feat include: Duke Snider (1957), Mickey Mantle (1958, 1960), Harmon Killebrew (1963), Rico Petrocelli (1969), Hank Aaron (1969, 1973), Davey Johnson (1973), Darrell Evans (1985), Ken Griffey Jr. (1994), Matt Williams (1994), Barry Bonds (2003), Adam Dunn (2006, 2012), Alfonso Soriano (2006), Adrian Gonzalez (2009), Nelson Cruz (2015), Mike Trout (2015), Carlos Gonzalez (2015) and Albert Pujols (2015).
Finishing a season with 99 RBI has been accomplished 85 times in the majors by 80 players—Ty Cobb, Bibb Falk, Lee May, Kirby Puckett and Sean Casey all did it twice during their careers. Falk is the only player to register 99 RBI in back-to-back seasons. Bryant is the fourth player to end his rookie campaign with 99 RBI, joining Pinky Higgins of the 1933 A’s, Willie Montanez of the 1971 Phillies and Garrett Atkins of the 2007 Rockies.
But the favorite to win the N.L. Rookie of the Year Award had a standout first season in the majors with his 31 doubles, 26 home runs, 13 stolen bases, 77 walks, .275 batting average, .372 on-base percentage, .488 slugging mark, 87 runs and 99 RBI.
He became the 80th player to finish a season one RBI shy of 100, along with Washington’s MVP candidate Bryce Harper, who ended his campaign with 42 homers and 99 RBI. Harper is one of 17 other players who have had a 40-homer season without driving in 100 runs. The others to accomplish this feat include: Duke Snider (1957), Mickey Mantle (1958, 1960), Harmon Killebrew (1963), Rico Petrocelli (1969), Hank Aaron (1969, 1973), Davey Johnson (1973), Darrell Evans (1985), Ken Griffey Jr. (1994), Matt Williams (1994), Barry Bonds (2003), Adam Dunn (2006, 2012), Alfonso Soriano (2006), Adrian Gonzalez (2009), Nelson Cruz (2015), Mike Trout (2015), Carlos Gonzalez (2015) and Albert Pujols (2015).
Finishing a season with 99 RBI has been accomplished 85 times in the majors by 80 players—Ty Cobb, Bibb Falk, Lee May, Kirby Puckett and Sean Casey all did it twice during their careers. Falk is the only player to register 99 RBI in back-to-back seasons. Bryant is the fourth player to end his rookie campaign with 99 RBI, joining Pinky Higgins of the 1933 A’s, Willie Montanez of the 1971 Phillies and Garrett Atkins of the 2007 Rockies.