HOT STICKS: Kyle Lewis Is Batting .548 In His Last Three Games

HOT STICKS: Kyle Lewis Is Batting .548 In His Last Three Games

by | May 10, 2021 | THE THREE SPOT

At the start of the 2021 season, the Seattle Mariners were without their star outfielder Kyle Lewis.

With seven hits in his last 13 at-bats, it’s safe to say that he is back to being the Lewis that won the 2020 AL Rookie of the Year and made an immediate impact on the Mariners

 

 

The injury to Lewis was something the Mariners did not want to hear at first, but the team knew that he would be back sooner than later.

 

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Lewis suffered a deep bone bruise in his right knee after running into a wall during spring training. Just as he was starting to heat up at the plate, the injury bug struck.

But hey, you control what you can control. And for Lewis, that meant working on getting that knee back to 100% so he could return to his team.

 

 

Our MLB bro made his 2021 debut on April 20 against the LA Dodgers and after missing the team’s first 17 games, the webmaster was grateful to be back on the field.

“It’s very special,” Lewis said in an article from The Seattle Times. “I never take it for granted being able to play. And so anytime I’m able to run out there with the uniform on, it’s always special, especially after being out for a little bit. Definitely a lot of energy, a lot of adrenaline going. I was happy with it, and just excited to get out there.”

His first hit of the season came against the Boston Red Sox on April 23. Lewis was making his third appearance on the season and he saw the ball well that game.

His first homer came three days later.

 

 

Let’s be real here, it’s not easy standing in that batter’s box and trying to hit off a major league pitcher after missing extended time.

You have to get your timing down and make sure you’re seeing the ball well. For Lewis, he’s still making strides to get to where he was last year when he led the Mariners in home runs (11) and OPS (.800).

On Sunday night, in a loss to the Texas Rangers, he collected another two hits and raised his batting average to .258.

Recently, the Mariners have been pleased with Lewis’ performance at the plate.

There was a stretch where he recorded a hit in six straight games and he’s currently on a three-game hitting streak.

 

 

Through his last seven games, he’s batting .375 with nine hits, one home run, and a .542 slugging percentage. This is the Lewis that Mariners fans have been waiting to see.

His best game since his return came on May 7 against the Texas Rangers. Lewis went 3-for-5 with a double.

That was his first three-hit game of the season, and what did he do the next game? Oh nothing much, just follow that up with consecutive two-hit performances.

It’s not surprising to see that Lewis is quickly finding his groove. He is a high-level hitter and possesses a lot of power at the plate.

 

 

As the season progresses, Lewis will continue to make improvements at the plate and he will flex all of his five-tools on a daily basis as he continues to rise the ranks of MLB’s top players.

Devin Williams Is Grinding Back Into His Rookie of the Year Form Following Bum Shoulder

Devin Williams Is Grinding Back Into His Rookie of the Year Form Following Bum Shoulder

by | May 4, 2021 | THE LEAD OFF

Set up man Devin Williams put on a masterclass during the Milwaukee Brewers four-game homestand in which the Brew Crew took three out of four games against the defending World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers 

 

 

Williams had batters dropping to their knees with his 80 plus mile per hour changeup, resembling something extraterrestrial in movement. 

 

Before defeating the Dodgers, Williams showed flashes of his old self after destroying the newly named National League Player of the Week Fernando Tatis Jr. in a previous game on just three pitches.

 

 

After feeding Tatis a straight diet of changeups, Williams told reporters that the performance helped his confidence as he could now target his pitches in exact locations.

Williams resembled his former self as both instances proved to be pivotal for his psyche.

“I’m feeling where I need to be with my mechanics, my delivery, my overall timing. My command has been better as well,” Williams told the media. 

 

The reigning National League Rookie of The Year showed extended flashes of dominance during the Covid-19, 60-game regular season by tossing 20 straight innings without allowing an earned run, while also allowing just two hits in 62 batters faced while accumulating over 40 strikeouts. This dominance is why he became the third Brewers player and first pitcher to achieve the first-year honors. 

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The Brewers went into the postseason riding the arm of the young phenom. Dejectedly, his meteoric rise to prominence came to a dramatic halt during the National League Wild Card Series against the Dodgers after sustaining a right shoulder injury. 

Williams took the organization’s advice, opted not to have surgery, and chose rest and rehabilitation during the offseason instead. The team brought him along slowly during spring training to keep his arm live ahead of the season, and they continue to nurture him during the infant stage of the 2021 season.

After being lights out down the stretch last season, Williams opened this season by giving up runs in both games against. the Chicago Cubs, which promptly caused concern within the organization. 

Williams is gradually working his way back, and the stats prove it. He started the season allowing nine walks, seven hits, and had an ERA of 13.49. As of May 1, his ERA dropped to 4.66.

 

Williams is returning to his former self as he has accumulated 15 strikeouts in 11 games. Check out Williams’s progression and his otherwordly changeup as the NL Central-leading Brewers travel to Philadelphia to take on the Phillies in a four-game road trip.