Chicago Cubs: What to make of Anthony Rizzo’s home run slump

Chicago Cubs: At the end of the day, worry should be minimal to none

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So let’s put it all together. He is going opposite field more and hitting more line drives and fewer fly balls over the month. Trying to go the other way and beat shifts is a recipe for more balls in play and fewer home runs. It all seems to add up.

Does that mean he is just giving up trying to hit home runs? Not at all, but he is just hitting for more contact because of the situations he has been in.

Of all the players on the Chicago Cubs roster, Rizzo should be the very last player to worry about. Every single year he puts up shockingly consistent numbers. Rizzo is currently hitting .285/.394/.525 with 19 homers and 138 wRC+ on the season. His cumulative slash from 2014-2018 is .282/.385/.512 and has averaged 30 homers and 140 wRC+ each season.

It is funny because Rizzo has been known to be very streaky over a 162-game season but it always ends with the similar numbers. One may be reminded of another left-handed former Cub first baseman, Mark Grace. While he was more of an average hitter and less of a home run hitter, he, like Rizzo, put up consistently good numbers every year.

The home runs will come again, probably in bunches as they tend to with him. Knowing him he will probably end the season with 32 once again.