Daylen Lile didn’t take long to make Washington Nationals history.
In fact, it only took 297 at bats.
That’s all Lile needed to reach 11 triples in his rookie season with the Nats.
That ties Denard Span’s single-season franchise record.
That’s an insane triples rate, better even than league leader Corbin Carroll. If Lile had been up for the whole season, he’d have made a run at 20 triples.
It’s pretty much out of nowhere, too. Lile was never a top-100 prospect by any of the ranking services.
But he’s got an .804 OPS with six homers and eight steals to go along with all the triples.
The Nats’ rebuild lasted a season longer than expected, but it allowed them to discover Lile.
Now, he looks like a legitimate part of their future.
Don’t be surprised if Lile makes a run at the league lead in triples next season.
It’s a unique skill, especially in modern baseball, to be such a good triples hitter. And Lile clearly has it.
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