During a three-strikeout night in Milwaukee in late-May, Paul Goldschmidt’s batting average dipped below .200. For much of the season, he had appeared lost at the plate, mired in a slump that felt both deeper and longer than any he’d previously experienced in his career.
That stretch of the season feels so distant it’s almost as if it never happened, as if it were a dream. Because at the start of play on Friday, Goldschmidt ranked among the best hitters in the National League. As he has most years, he was in the Top 10 in several major offensive categories, including average, on-base, slugging, OPS and home runs.