SAN DIEGO -- Gabriel Moreno wanted to play Sunday with his team battling for a spot in the postseason. He was in the original lineup as the designated hitter, but after taking swings in the batting cage prior to the game, he just didn’t feel like he could put enough pressure on his left hamstring.
Moreno was scratched from the lineup, but with Phillies second baseman Luis Arraez unable to play due to an ankle sprain, Moreno was the NL’s batting champion.
Moreno came into Sunday with a .311 batting average, one point ahead of Arraez, and he became Arizona’s first batting champion.
It was also the first time that a catcher had won a title since Buster Posey hit .336 for the Giants in 2012.
It is an achievement to be proud of, for sure, but one that Moreno felt awkward talking about after the Diamondbacks were eliminated from the postseason race Sunday.
“I know it’s not a good moment to talk about it,” Moreno said. “I feel good. It’s something that you dream about since you start playing baseball at 3 years old, 4 years old. It means a lot to me, my family and I hope to my teammates and the organization.”
Moreno's hamstring felt "tender" during Friday night's series opener, according to manager Torey Lovullo, and he was removed from the game in the seventh inning.
The Diamondbacks did not believe the injury was severe and Moreno was in the lineup as the designated hitter Saturday night. As the game wore on, Lovullo said that Moreno's hamstring tightened up and Moreno told the manager he could not take his ninth-inning at-bat.