Kansas City, Mo. — Manager Brad Ausmus pulled catcher James McCann aside over the weekend in Toronto.
McCann’s offensive numbers plummeted in the hot month of August. He ended July hitting .286 with a .436 slugging percentage and a .756 OPS. In August, though, he hit .195 with a .280 slugging percentage and .513 OPS.
He had just four extra-base hits with 19 strikeouts.
Ausmus’ concern was that McCann might have hit the wall — physically. He had played 91 games and caught 90 of them by the end of the month.
“He said he caught 120-something games one year and then went to play winter ball,” Ausmus said.