Atlanta Braves benefitting from resurgence of Dansby Swanson
Swanson’s year has not been quite as scripted, but his return from AAA has brought a renewed optimism.
After a Rookie-of-the-Year caliber end to the 2016-17 season, expectations were high for Dansby Swanson coming into this year. The Atlanta Braves shortstop hit .302 with a .361 OBP at the plate, while also showing Gold Glove worthy range at shortstop.
Many experts expected Swanson to continue producing numbers at a similar clip this season, especially after a strong showing at Spring Training where he sat at .308 at the plate and made plays like these in the field alongside his new teammate up the middle in
.
However, this year’s regular season has been a bit of a different story for Swanson. Up until going down to Triple-A Gwinnett at the end of July, Swanson only hit .213 on the season.
At that point, Manager Brian Snitker used him off the bench in what was a new role for Swanson. Simply watching Dansby play, it felt like the 23-year old from Marietta was never able to get comfortable playing every day.
Management sent Swanson down to Triple-A to get increased reps at the plate and on the field as opposed to sitting on the bench, perhaps playing once every two to three nights.
Swanson’s Return…He’s Baaaack
After a freak injury to Johan Camargo that placed him on the DL, the Braves recalled Swanson from Gwinnett. While a 0-8 stat line in his first two games may have alarmed fans, there was a visible difference in Swanson’s swing.
It has been a fresh start for Dansby in his return. He had numerous hard-hit balls that just happened to find the defense. The increased contact for Swanson paid off since his return, as the youngster is hitting .279 in the month of August with a .373 OBP.
When asked about Swanson’s hot return, Braves hitting coach Kevin Seitzer said, “Lot more confidence, that’s the biggest thing. Swing’s no different, but he’s just got some of his swagger back.”
That response notwithstanding, video evidence shown on the FOX broadcasts suggests that he is standing perhaps a tick more upright and closer to the plate.
Something must be working, for suddenly Swanson’s line drive rate is at 29% in August after not being within 6% of that for any other month this season.
The confidence and has shown in Swanson’s play. The shortstop’s abilities have been on full display, with him hitting a key two-run double in the Colorado series to help the Braves secure a win.
Swanson added when asked about his return
: “I just felt a lot more comfortable…comfortable and confident, just kind of felt like myself and felt like I was going in the right direction, staying steady.”
Swanson has looked like himself lately, especially at the plate with his swing. Rather than looking for a perfect pitch and waiting too long, Swanson has been in attack mode early in the count. This has resulted in better swings.
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What’s Next?
Dansby has finally re-united with his new double-play mate and good friend Ozzie Albies after a just a few quick meetings in the minors. The two patrol the middle infield about as comfortably as any other pair in the MLB.
With Swanson’s return, Albies has also seen improvements in his play, too. He’s hit .260 after struggling right after getting called up, similar to Swanson’s resurgent performance late this season. It’s an encouraging sign for Braves fans to see these two mesh well on the field together. They will look to be one of baseball’s dynamic duos for years to come.
Next: The 40-man Roster Crunch
As the year winds down and playoff hopes have already started dwindling (one never knows though…) Swanson will look to be a bright spot in the Braves’ lineup. If he can produce similar numbers through the end of the season as he has the last few weeks, it will provide him confidence rolling over to next year.