Batting Blues Come To an End for Rizzo?
Anthony Rizzo, the Yankees’ first baseman, is determined to prove his worth despite a poor batting run. After gradually warming up the bench for the Yankees’ series against the Dodgers, Rizzo asserted that he still has the batting power to contribute to his team.
“I feel like the good times are just around the corner. I may not be in my best form, but I believe that momentum is shifting,” he expressed optimistically. Despite a disappointing streak of 1-for-29, Rizzo remains hopeful of making a significant impact.
Signs of a Turnaround?
After spending one more day on the bench, Rizzo had an unstellar game in Kansas City where he couldn’t secure any hits. However, it seems like a turnaround is in the offing. Over the last three games before clashing with the Red Sox, Rizzo had racked up four hits in nine turns at the plate, with a home run and three RBI to boot.
He seemed to echo the same sentiment after his two-hit game against Boston where the Yankees won with a comfortable margin. “I knew I had a good game coming. It feels good to start getting hits once again,” Rizzo said.
Rizzo’s Aim: Continuous Improvement
Yankee’s manager, Aaron Boone seems to be impressed with his forecast views on Rizzo’s game. “You can tell he’s improving game by game. Even when he was not getting any hits, he connected solidly if only on the ground. It seems he has slowed down in the box, which is a good sign,” Boone stated.
Speculations Over Trade Deadlines
Rizzo is mindful of the swirling trade speculations triggered by his dwindling performance figures. This has sparked rumors that the Yankees may bring in a new infielder before the July 30 trade deadline. But Rizzo appears to have perked up at the right time, showing he can still turn the tide.
Kahnle’s Dipping Velocity
Meanwhile, reliever Tommy Kahnle is struggling to deliver his best. Despite scoring two essential strikeouts, his performances have turned hazy in his last five games, averaging fewer innings, more hits, more runs, and a weaker ability to strike out opponents. Alarmingly, his fastball speed is on a downslide, averaging just 93.7 mph this season compared to 95.3 mph the previous year.
Kahnle attributed his slump to minor hitches which he is trying to navigate around in order to improve. According to Boone, despite these issues, Kahnle was fit and deemed his health was not in question.
Will Stanton Enter the Field?
There have been talks about Giancarlo Stanton, who is yet to occupy the field this season, finally stepping onto it. His deployment on the field, particularly Fenway Park with its minimal ground area, however, remains uncertain. Boone mentioned he might start Stanton in left field if he felt it was the right move. Should Stanton play on Sunday, it will be a crucial day for the Yankees as well.
As we head into the halfway point of the season, Rizzo’s resurgence and other team jitters will be the talk of the town. Continual watch and chatter around the team’s performance will be the buzz in the weeks to come, both in New York and the baseball community at large.