Metrics Suggest Better Days Ahead For Cubs Rookie Moises Ballesteros
After a blistering start, Chicago's rookie slugger has cratered in May. Yet, elite advanced metrics suggest a massive breakout is imminent for the struggling designated hitter in June.
Video Transcript
What is up, Cubs fans?
And welcome back to Cubs Roundtable.
I'm Joey Polizzi, talking about all things Cubs.
And there is no player happier that the end of May is here, because Moises Ballesteros has had a rough May.
He's looking to flip the calendar, as Monday is June 1st, and he's hoping that his May struggles stay in the past.
Moises Ballesteros got off to a great start this season, batting .338 through the first March and April.
That was good numbers for Moises Ballesteros.
But some negative regression has, has hit him hard, because Moises Ballesteros is batting just .105 in the month of May.
One home run, four RBIs, strikeout rate is up.
He's chasing pitches out of the zone.
Like, it has been a bad all-around month for Moises Ballesteros, and he's happy that, you know, May's coming to an end, because it's, it's been a struggle for him.
Now, this was always gonna happen to Moises Ballesteros.
He wasn't gonna hit over .300, .330.
It's just, that wasn't gonna be possible.
Pitchers were going to adjust, and they have, and Moises Ballesteros has, has struggled because of it.
But don't forget, he's only a 22-year-old rookie in his first full season in the majors.
Like, he is gonna figure it out, and given Moises Ballesteros' just knack for hitting, like, he's gonna turn it around.
And I think you look at his metrics, and his metrics still point out the fact that he's gonna turn it around very soon, because his hard hit rate's still in the upper after the league average exit velocity, which means he's still hitting the ball hard.
Barrel rate is still up.
Like, he is still putting good contact on the ball.
The results just haven't been there.
So I think with Ballesteros, you have to be patient with him.
He is a rookie.
Don't forget about that.
He's gonna go through these ups and downs in his first few years, and right now it's down, and this is probably a low point for Moises Ballesteros, who can't seem to figure it out at the plate.
But I think you look at what he's done recently, you look at Saturday's game, hit some balls hard.
Had a single on the right side of the field that eventually, you know, got the Cubs into a bases-loaded situation.
So there's been good things from Moises Ballesteros recently, and I think his metrics, he's still hitting the ball hard.
I think that is some good signs that he is gonna turn it around very soon.
And he's walking still.
Like, his walk rate is still very good in the month of May.
But let me know what you guys think about Moises Ballesteros in this whole slump.
Are you confident that he's gonna turn it around very soon?
Are you okay with the Cubs letting him ride the bench more for Mookie Cafardo as he kinda figures it out?
Let me know down below.
And as always, guys, go Cubs go.
