The Astros have the single largest year-to-year decrease in BABIP and it’s not really close

In 2021 the Astros ranked #4 in baseball in batting average on balls in play (BABIP) with .305. The league average BABIP that year was .292. To date in 2022, the Astros rank #28 in baseball with a BABIP of .267 (ahead of just Arizona and Oakland) for a 12.46% decrease from last season. The league average BABIP this season is .290, a small 0.71% decrease from last year.

By percentage change from 2021 to 2022, Houston's -12.46% is dead last. #29 is Arizona (-9.83%) and #28 is Pittsburgh (-6.21%). Not only is Houston's Y2Y percentage decrease significant, but it even doubles up the 2nd worst Y2Y decrease in baseball.

Basically, if you feel like Houston is hitting every conceivable ball directly at the defense or flying out at the warning track, you're not crazy. It's happening at a much higher pace this year and our BABIP is well below the league average. Bad luck? Poor plate approach? Both? Curse? I don't know, but it has sure been frustrating.