The 2023 MLB postseason began earlier this month, and now there are just two teams left. The Texas Rangers made it past the Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles, and Houston Astros to win the American League pennant for the third time. On the National League side, the Arizona Diamondbacks shocked the world by beating the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies to win their second-ever pennant.
On Friday, Oct. 27, the World Series officially begins, with both teams looking to hoist the Commissioner's Trophy.
While Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia has made history of his own throughout this postseason, so has Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte. Entering Game 1 of the World Series, Marte is on a 16-game hitting streak in the playoffs, dating back to Arizona's 2017 postseason, where they defeated the Colorado Rockies in the Wild Card Game but lost to the Dodgers in the Division Series in three games.
Marte is close to breaking the postseason hitting streak record. So, which player or players sit atop the list?
Three players hold the record for longest-hitting streak in postseason history
Three players hold the record for longest postseason hitting streak, which is 17 games. They are New York Yankees outfielder Hank Bauer (1956-58), Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (1998-99), and Boston Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez (2003-04), per MLB.com's Sarah Langs.
This postseason, Marte recorded a .358 batting average, a .382 on-base percentage, a .604 slugging percentage, two home runs, six runs, seven RBI, and 19 hits in 53 at-bats (12 games). Overall in 16 postseason games, including his four games in 2017, Marte slashed .371/.389/.657, three home runs, nine RBI, 10 runs, and 26 hits.
Marte does hold the longest hitting streak to begin a postseason career, with the previous record being held by Marquis Grissom (1995-96).
So for Marte to officially break the record, he will have to get a hit in Games 1 and 2 of the World Series (Friday, Oct. 27, and Saturday, Oct. 28). Realistically, though, Marte isn't worried about the hitting streak, he wants to bring the Diamondbacks their second-ever World Series title.
