In 20 games, the Chicago Cubs’ Kris Bryant is hitting just .220, with a .351 slugging percentage and one homer. Bryant’s walk rate (12.1) is solid, and the strikeouts have been mitigated after a run of whiffs at the end of last season. But the absence of power has fans concerned about Bryant’s hitting potential, and whether or not the shoulder injury that hampered him last season is still taking a toll.
However, this current power outage may be coming as a result of Bryant’s relative timidity at the plate. According to FanGraphs, over 43 percent of the pitches made to Bryant this season have been in the strike zone, the highest percentage of his career.