Michael A. Taylor picked up a big walk-off hit during the last homestand, providing some hope that he’s starting to turn things around at the plate after a rough start then he went 2 for 4 with a two-run homer and a double in the Washington Nationals’ win over the Miami Marlins last night in Marlins Park.
Taylor also made a couple nice plays in the outfield, diving, and almost catching, a Miguel Rojas’ liner in the fourth inning that drove in two, after pulling a long fly to center field by Lewis Brinson off the top of the wall for what looked like at least an extra base hit off the bat in the third.
Taylor started the night with a .186/.249/.311 line, 10 doubles, three home runs, 14 walks, and 60 Ks in 48 games and 182 plate appearances this season.
Nationals’ skipper Davey Martinez talked before last night’s game about the work Taylor has put in behind the scenes as he tries to turn things around at the plate.
“We talk a lot about just slowing everything down for him and trying to get him in the strike zone,” Martinez explained.
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“Those are the two big things for him, just get him in that strike zone. When he gets the ball in the strike zone, the numbers indicate that he hits the ball hard, and he’s been working at it with [Hitting Coach Kevin Long] and [Assistant Hitting Coach] Joe [Dillon] and actually getting better swings.”
Taylor crushed a center-cut, 96 mph 2-1 two-seamer from Marlins’ starter Jose Ureña in his first at bat of the night, sending a two-run home run out to left field in Marlins Park to give the Nationals a 2-0 lead, and hustled around to second on a liner to center in the seventh, working for a double and scoring the fifth run of the game for the Nats.
“Great at bats,” Martinez said after the 9-5 win. “Like I said, he’s starting to really focus on hitting balls in the strike zone, and he’s got unbelievable hands, that home run he hit was just pure hands.
“He’s doing well, plus that play he made in the outfield, both plays, keeping the one in front of him and then the one on the wall, it’s tremendous.”
Taylor, who told MASN’s Dan Kolko last week that he was trying to relax at the plate, not over-think it, and not do too much, acknowledge last night that it’s tough to stay within yourself.
“It’s easier said than done,” Taylor admitted. “Wanting to produce at the plate is kind of counterproductive, so just going out there and trying to put together good at bat, not trying to force the results, and that’s what I’m working on right now.”
His manager and teammates have clearly taken not of the work he’s putting in to try to get right at the plate.
“He’s working every day,” Bryce Harper told reporters after going 2 for 5 with two RBIs in the win. “Coming in, doing the right things trying to do something to get him going. He’s hitting the ball hard multiple times and just hasn’t rolled his way, but he’s still got that pop, still got a lot of power, still scary up there, so when the pitcher makes a mistake, he usually makes them pay. So huge homer right there to get us going tonight and looking forward to seeing him hit some more.”