Justin Upton admits getting antsy when the home runs dried up. After leading the majors with 12 in April, Upton hit a total of four home runs in May, June and July.
Now he’s back in April form, hitting four home runs in the first five games in August, including the game-winner in the series-opener against the Nationals.
“Obviously looking back on it, I wasn’t hitting the long ball, but I was still getting hits,” Upton said. “Sometimes you have to live with that. You have to live with your base hits, the occasional double and ride it out until you start to see the ball a little bit better.”
Upton said he’s seeing the ball well now, and it’s helping him get his timing back. He and hitting coach Greg Walker tried an adjustment early in July, eliminating his high leg kick to try to get him to the ball faster. But Upton ultimately didn’t feel comfortable with that, and added the leg kick back in. But he’s been able to get to the ball in a more timely fashion.
“Most leg kick guys, no matter how big or small a leg kick it is, get in the habit of hanging until they see the ball and then everything happens late, all at once,” Walker said. “Usually those guys are late on fastballs, early on breaking balls….
“He’s doing a better job of getting his foot down and then swinging the bat, instead of all of it happening real late and rushed. When he gets there on time and can stay there, he’s everything you want Justin Upton to be.”
When Upton is hot, the Braves are hot. Upton was hitting .405 (17-for-42) with three doubles, four homers and 10 RBIs over the Braves 11-game win streak entering Tuesday. He hit .350 (14-for-40) with four doubles, six home runs and nine RBIs over the Braves 10-game win streak April 5-16.
“We just wanted to make everything more efficient,” Upton said. “It’s a matter of slowing the game down and having a feel for the tempo of the game.”
