BOSTON — The Red Sox offense has scored one run or fewer in four of 11 games since star rookie Roman Anthony landed on the injured list with an oblique strain.
Boston is 4-7 during that stretch, and veteran Alex Bregman’s slump has persisted. He has stroked only 14 hits over his past 89 at-bats (.157 batting average) in 22 games dating back to Aug. 23. He’s 9-for-45 (.200) with Anthony sidelined.
“Chasing pitches,” manager Alex Cora said before Boston’s game against the Athletics on Wednesday. “Just chasing pitches. If you look at his map, he’s swinging at pitches in the edges of the zone and he’s never done that throughout his career. Well, he’s done it and when he struggles, it’s because of that.”
Cora said Bregman is fine physically. The 31-year-old third baseman hasn’t been the same hitter since returning from the injured list on July 11 after a 43-game absence due to a right quad strain.
He batted .299 with a .385 on-base percentage, .553 slugging percentage and .938 OPS in 51 games (226 plate appearances) before landing on the IL. He has posted a .251/.329/.389/.718 slash line in 54 games (228 plate appearances) since returning.
Bregman is in the 94th percentile in chase percentage (19.8%). The issue is chasing pitches in certain areas of the strike zone where he doesn’t do as much damage.
“One of the things that I saw in ’17 and he’s done throughout his career is hunting pitches in certain areas and being disciplined on taking the other ones,” Cora said. “And it feels like right now maybe he’s swinging at pitches in the zone, but not the ones he really wants. And with Alex throughout his career, he’s very patient. He doesn’t swing much. He’ll be 0-2, and then all of a sudden he’s 3-2. Kind of like one of the best at doing that.”
Cora said pitchers have done a good job of keeping pitches out of the areas of the zone where Bregman does damage.
“Game-planning-wise, they’re not going to go through the honeyhole,” Cora said. “They’re going to keep the ball in certain areas, and it’s up to him if he’s going to swing at those pitches or not. And hopefully today we’re very stubborn as a group in the strike zone. I think that’s where we are at our best. We know that. And he needs to do that. He knows it, too.”
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