Ender Inciarte added a 2016 Gold Glove and 2017 All-Star appearance to his major-league resume in the span of eight months. Now, it needs another update: 200-hit season.
On Tuesday night, the Atlanta Braves standout center fielder became the franchises first player since Marquis Grissom in 1996 to log 200 or more hits in a single season.
The milestone hit arrived off New York Mets starter Rafael Montero in the first inning, a line-drive double.
Inciarte, who signed a six-year extension after his first season in Atlanta, entered the final six games of the campaign hitting .306/.351/.412 in 704 plate appearances with 11 home runs and 22 stolen bases. The 26-year-old outfielder has also added 92 runs and 57 RBI. He is just the fourth player to reach the milestone in a Braves uniform since the organization moved to Atlanta:
*Through 156 team games
Entering Tuesdays action, only Colorado Rockies All-Star Charlie Blackmon had more hits in the majors in 2017. (Inciarte was tied with Houston Astros second baseman and American League MVP candidate Jose Altuve.)
"He's taken such big strides over the last twoyears hitting and you can see all his hard work pay off," Braves starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz said. "If he doesn't get a hit, he's mad. You can tell his competitiveness and just how he wants to play the game."
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