Playoff Baseball is Back!

Hello MFG family!

The cool, crisp air of fall is in full swing, and so are the Major League Baseball playoffs! While I’m not a Yankees fan, something remarkable was accomplished this year by the Yankees’ center fielder, Aaron Judge. The Yankee star hit 62 home runs, breaking what many baseball purists believe to be the true single-season home run record set by Roger Maris in 1961 (no steroids). It is now the most home runs hit in a single season by an American League player. He may even hit another by the time this message gets out!

While this record is incredible, it made me think about why Aaron Judge was able to accomplish this feat this particular year, as opposed to years past. Did you know that Aaron Judge set a personal record for most games played in a single season in 2022? Over 156 games! It helps to be on the field and in the game consistently. He also set a personal record for most at-bats in a single season since playing in the major league, totaling over 565. He had many chances to hit home runs! You’re probably asking yourself… OK, Matt, what’s the point?!

While more at-bats and games played don’t translate into more home runs for each and every player in the MLB, it is crucial to realize this hidden investment lesson in Aaron’s record-breaking season- when consistency meets opportunity, good results usually follow. We’ve attached the following chart to show what happens when an investor stays invested over a long period of time, without attempting to time the market. The results are staggering. While each of us may not be able to hit home runs like Aaron Judge, we can all remain consistent in our approach to investing. With a little consistency and opportunity, good results will usually follow.

Opinions expressed in the attached are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Raymond James. All opinions are as of this date and are subject to change without notice. Raymond James is not affiliated with JP Morgan. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected. Past performance is not indicative of future results.