MLB PLAYER NEWS

Rays’ Myers in midst of sophomore slump

The Sports Xchange

April 18, 2014 at 3:03 am.

Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

‘Sophomore slump’ is a cliche, but it applies to the mighty struggles of Rays right fielder Wil Myers.

The 23-year-old 2013 American League Rookie of the Year is mired in the worst start of his professional career, batting .192 and going 0-for-2 with two walks in Thursday’s 10-2 loss to the Yankees.

A season after batting .293 with a .478 slugging percentage and a .354 on-base percentage, Myers is groping for a solution after producing just two extra-base hits after 14 games. His double play quashed a precious rally against the Yankees’ CC Sabathia in the fourth inning on Thursday. “Just not getting the job done — swinging at bad pitches, going out of the zone, not staying with my plan,” Myers told the Tampa Tribune. “Besides the first game of the year, I haven’t really done too much at the plate. It’s something we’re working on in the cage. It’s just one of those things I’m going through right now. Just looking to get out of it soon.”

Myers’ slump is troublesome for the Rays. His 16 strikeouts lead the team and all four of his RBIs came in the first four games of the season. But the five-hole hitter is not alone in his early season morass as the Rays are batting a woeful .252 on balls in play this season. “I’ve been kind of going back and forth,” he said. “Sometimes I take, sometimes I try to be aggressive. I feel either one I pick is going to be wrong at the time. But that’s what you go through. When you’re going well you stick to one thing. But I’m going back and forth trying to find something that works. It’s just tough right now.”

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