Brett Bateman has been one of the best stories in the Blue Jays' lineup since his call-up.
Over 13 games since arriving on Aug. 7, he's hitting .321 with a .367 on-base percentage.
His wRC+ sits at 122, meaning he's been 22 percent better than league average at the plate during that stretch.
That's a real number, not a small blip buried in a handful of at-bats.
There's one figure worth flagging, though. Bateman is running a .400 BABIP over this span.
That's well above what most hitters sustain over a full season, and it usually means some regression is coming.
Is this a hot streak, or the real deal? The honest answer is probably somewhere in between.
Why his profile makes the case for sustainability
High-contact hitters can support a higher BABIP than power hitters, since they're putting more balls in play and forcing defenses to make plays.
Bateman fits that mold. He's been described as a player who slaps the ball around and hits for high average rather than power.
That profile doesn't guarantee this pace continues, but it does mean a .400 BABIP isn't as unsustainable for him as it would be for a slugger.
Toronto has needed exactly this kind of production, given how much the offense has struggled to score runs all season.
He's taken over the leadoff spot during this run, and the Blue Jays have won the bulk of the games he's played in.
Whether regression catches up to him in September, or he settles in as a legitimate everyday piece, is the question that actually matters here.
For now, the results are real, and Toronto isn't in a position to overthink a bat that's helping right now.
Do you think Brett Bateman's hot start is sustainable, or does regression catch up soon?
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