Harper's Amazing Month So Far

Harper leads the NL in WAR with 3.8 (Nationals have played 42 games). His OPS+ is 229 (if he finished with that, it would be the 10th highest since 1900 with only Ruth, Williams and Bonds ever doing better).

Harper's OPS+ so far in May is 314. I looked at all guys with 75+ PAs in a month through age 23 (Harper is 22 this year) and only Williams, with 348 in Sept 1942 is ahead of Harper. If Harper can just do 100 over the last 8 games, I estimate he would have 250 for the month and it would be the 19th best month ever for a guy through age 23. Through age 22 it would be 10th (this goes back to 1914, the first year you can do this at Baseball Reference Play Index).

Trout's best month ever so far is 248 last June. Bill James projected Harper with an .842 OPS this year. He is currently at 1.225. Trout is .992/.959.

Back to using through age 23, here is the top 20. The third number is games played.

Ted Williams    Sept/Oct    1942    20    348
Bryce Harper    May    2015    19    314
John Mayberry    June    1972    26    299
Ted Williams    Sept/Oct    1941    23    297
Ted Williams    July    1941    22    284
Ted Williams    August    1941    35    279
Joe DiMaggio    July    1937    29    277
Reggie Jackson    June    1969    26    277
Ted Williams    May    1942    28    268
Ted Williams    Sept/Oct    1939    28    265
Dick Wakefield    Sept/Oct    1944    29    264
Eddie Mathews    Sept/Oct    1954    24    263
Boog Powell    June    1964    21    259
Eddie Mathews    June    1955    28    256
John Mayberry    Sept/Oct    1972    31    252
Rudy York    August    1937    30    251
Alex Rodriguez    May    1999    16    251
Cesar Cedeno    June    1972    28    251
Mike Trout    June    2014    23    248
Jose Canseco    Sept/Oct    1988    26    247

Here is the top 11 through age 22. It is not likely Haprer will fall out of the top 10

Bryce Harper    May    2015    19    314
Ted Williams    Sept/Oct    1941    23    297
Ted Williams    July    1941    22    284
Ted Williams    August    1941    35    279
Joe DiMaggio    July    1937    29    277
Ted Williams    Sept/Oct    1939    28    265
Eddie Mathews    Sept/Oct    1954    24    263
Boog Powell    June    1964    21    259
Cesar Cedeno    June    1972    28    251
Mike Trout    June    2014    23    248
Ted Williams    June    1941    28    243