Jeff McNeil, the New York Mets second baseman, struggled to maintain his batting average after his success in 2022, hitting just .270 in 2023 and only .216 by mid-2024. He acknowledged that his attempt to guide the ball was detrimental to his performance. After reassessing his strategy and returning to a more aggressive style, McNeil saw a turnaround, batting .278 over 77 games and .341 in his last 11 games, showcasing his power with four recent home runs.
Sometimes, in big situations, I tried to guide the ball out there, and that's where I tend to get in a little bit of trouble, McNeil said.
He abandoned that conservative approach and got back to basics: Getting the right pitches and trying to hit it hard.
Just dictating at-bats and putting swings with conviction. The past week, he's done that. He's putting himself in a really good position to hit.
Not only to hit, but to do damage. We know the bat-to-ball skills are off the charts.
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