In the past, Jordy Mercer might have panicked.
The shortstop’s slow start to the season was nothing new; this is how it goes. The Pirates do not rely on the hitting from their eight-hole hitter, anyway, and April was never kind: He has a career .307 on-base percentage and .286 slugging percentage in the month. So this April, which he finished hitting .220/.304/.305, he took in stride.
“I knew I was in a good spot,” Mercer said. “I was seeing the ball well. I was taking my walks. I wasn’t barreling everything up, but I was barreling a lot of stuff up and I wasn’t getting [anything] to show for it.