The Los Angeles Dodgers have struggled in the second half this season, scuffling their way to a 16-17 record after the All-Star Break. Rookie center fielder Joc Pederson has also struggled since a breath-taking performance in the Home Run Derby, hitting just .163/.333/.293 with only three homers in 30 second-half games.
Manager Don Mattingly isn’t exactly enamored with the 23-year old’s performance right now – he’s taken away his starting job and given it to Kiké Hernandez.
Via ESPN’s Mark Saxon…
Joc Pederson was a rookie of the year front-runner and the starting center fielder for the National League All-Star team, but a protracted slump has cost him his starting job with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Manager Don Mattingly said Enrique Hernandez will take over the center-field job until further notice. Hernandez was in the starting lineup against the Houston Astros for the second straight day and will face right-hander Lance McCullers on Sunday.
[…]
“We have no problem with Joc. It’s not like he’s been a prospect that comes up and just doesn’t care,” Mattingly said. “He’s totally actually the other direction, probably cares too much, probably letting it bother him too much. I have no doubt that Joc’s going to end up being a great player. But at this moment, we feel like Enrique is a better alternative.”
[…]
Pederson’s inability to put more balls in play has been a frustration for Mattingly, his field staff and the analytically oriented front office of Andrew Friedman. Hitting coach Mark McGwire has worked with Pederson extensively on shortening his swing, but the slump has persisted.
This seems like a convenient excuse for the Dodgers to mix things up.
In the second half, Pederson has struck out at a 29.9% clip. In the first half, his K-rate was sitting at 29.2%. His walk rate is actually higher in the second half, at 17.9% compared to 15.8% in the first half. He’s also made more contact (66.7%) and whiffed less (13.5%) in the second half than the first (65.8%, 14.5%).
Sure, we’re only dealing with a 117 plate appearance sample in the second half compared to a 366 plate appearance sample in the first half, but it’s a bit silly to point Pederson’s struggles at “not putting the ball in play”.
But hey, when a player isn’t hitting a quarter of his fly balls over the fence, it’s pretty easy to bench him while complaining about him not making any contact, right?
[ESPN]
