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Everyone was curious to see what Kris Bryant would do for an encore this season following his MVP season in 2016.
Four games in, we’re still waiting for even a glimpse of what might lie ahead.
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The now 25-year-old slugger, who helped lead the Cubs to a World Series championship after hitting .292/.385/.554 with 39 home runs and 102 RBIs during the regular season, is off to a historically slow start in 2017. At least as it compares to past reigning MVP award winners.
With his first-inning fly out in Friday’s 2-1 loss to the Brewers, Bryant extended his hitless streak to 0-for-14 to begin the season. That surpassed the previous hitless streak to start a season by a reigning MVP set by Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg back in 1985.
Of course, we all knew Bryant would record a hit eventually. That came in the fifth inning on a soft bouncer that took*a tricky hop off the third base bag. It wasn’t the rocket that everyone envisioned, but a hit is a hit. That ended up being one of three times Bryant reached (walk and HBP) in the 11-inning game.
The latter point is a good sign, and perhaps the best*news for Bryant is that*a lot of times it’s the bad bounce or the check-swing roller that leads to a slump disappearing.
That’s also the bad news for everyone else.*Like Sandberg in ’85, who some would argue went on to have an even better season offensively, there are better days ahead for Bryant. Sure, his slump might linger through the weekend, or through the next homestand, or even through April. But the reality is the more he struggles now, the hotter he’s likely to get once his swing is locked in.
It’s only a matter of time before Kris Bryant finds his swing. (AP) It’s one of those things that opponents know is coming. Advanced scouts from the Los Angeles Dodgers, whom the Cubs play in their home-opening series beginning on Monday, can point out any flaws they want to in Bryant’s swing right now. But it will come with an asterisk and two words: He’s due.*Like the Brewers this weekend, they just hope the avalanche begins once they’ve cleared the area.
You can’t ignore Bryant’s start, because you know people are always going to magnify the early stats and look for answers. But we can surely dismiss it while proclaiming that Bryant is going to put up ridiculous numbers this season. He’s very likely to be in the MVP hunt again too. It’s a matter of when, not if, *he starts crushing the competition.
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Four games in, we’re still waiting for even a glimpse of what might lie ahead.
[Sign up for Yahoo Fantasy Baseball: It’s not too late to get in the game]
The now 25-year-old slugger, who helped lead the Cubs to a World Series championship after hitting .292/.385/.554 with 39 home runs and 102 RBIs during the regular season, is off to a historically slow start in 2017. At least as it compares to past reigning MVP award winners.
With his first-inning fly out in Friday’s 2-1 loss to the Brewers, Bryant extended his hitless streak to 0-for-14 to begin the season. That surpassed the previous hitless streak to start a season by a reigning MVP set by Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg back in 1985.
Kris Bryant: 0-for-14, the longest hitless streak to start a year by a reigning MVP (breaks tie with Ryne Sandberg, 1985), via @EliasSports
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 8, 2017
It’s an obscure record, but we’re sure you’ve been following it closely.— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 8, 2017
Of course, we all knew Bryant would record a hit eventually. That came in the fifth inning on a soft bouncer that took*a tricky hop off the third base bag. It wasn’t the rocket that everyone envisioned, but a hit is a hit. That ended up being one of three times Bryant reached (walk and HBP) in the 11-inning game.
The latter point is a good sign, and perhaps the best*news for Bryant is that*a lot of times it’s the bad bounce or the check-swing roller that leads to a slump disappearing.
That’s also the bad news for everyone else.*Like Sandberg in ’85, who some would argue went on to have an even better season offensively, there are better days ahead for Bryant. Sure, his slump might linger through the weekend, or through the next homestand, or even through April. But the reality is the more he struggles now, the hotter he’s likely to get once his swing is locked in.
You can’t ignore Bryant’s start, because you know people are always going to magnify the early stats and look for answers. But we can surely dismiss it while proclaiming that Bryant is going to put up ridiculous numbers this season. He’s very likely to be in the MVP hunt again too. It’s a matter of when, not if, *he starts crushing the competition.
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!Follow @Townie813