Tim Hyers’ efforts to get Ozzie Albies out of slump will reflect on both

“He’s been there and he’s done that and he’s got experience,” Hyers said. “He’s trying to find himself this year a little bit. (Saturday) was more of the intent, like, ‘Let it go and hit the ball hard and let your talent take over.’”

Whatever his talent has been doing, it has not been taking anything over. A career .268 hitter with a .786 OPS, Albies began Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates hitting .225 for the season with a .636 OPS. Both were career lows for the first 38 games of any of his eight MLB seasons in which he played at least that many games (not including 2020), according to Stathead.

Further, the arrow was pointing down. In his past 12 games, he was hitting .191 with a .505 OPS with 12 strikeouts in 52 plate appearances.

Hyers saw a player who had gotten away from the approach that had earned him three All-Star game berths and two Silver Slugger awards as the National League’s top hitting second baseman.

“We just talked (Saturday) about the intent, the intent to hit the ball hard,” he said. “I think his body gathers (with his leg kick) and has better directions when he does that. And I think he’s possibly been a little just trying to make contact and not really swing the bat.”

Hyers used another descriptive assessment of Albies’ mindset at the plate, that he is “just more feeling for the ball a little bit.”

Is Dr. Hyers’ diagnosis an actual solution?

Only time will tell.

The Braves could really use a turnaround from Albies. The team’s offense has not played to its potential and Albies is most assuredly one of the cogs producing beneath his own standards, a factor in the team’s inability to rebound more quickly from its 0-7 start.

Even the thing the switch-hitting Albies has done best – hit against lefthanded pitchers – has failed to yield results. For his career, he has hit .331 against lefties with a .909 OPS. Through Friday’s game, he was hitting .216 vs. lefties this season with a .501 OPS.

Manager Brian Snitker theorized that the Braves not facing much lefthanded pitching to this point has hampered Albies.

“I think that’s got to be tough for a switch-hitter to do that because he is so good,” Snitker said. “In the past, he’s been one of the best switch-hitters against lefthanded pitching in the game. But you know what? He’ll get it going again.”

Mostly hitting in the fifth spot, his shortcomings at the plate surely have contributed to No. 3 hitter Marcell Ozuna and cleanup hitter Matt Olson’s high walk rates as opposing pitchers have been willing to put them on base to take their chances with Albies.

At his best, Albies can foil that strategy. In 2021 and 2023, he finished third both times in the National League in RBI with 106 and 109, respectively. Perhaps not coincidentally, he struck out more often those two seasons than he has this year but also hit the ball hard more frequently.

Hyers said that he and Albies went back and looked at video of his swing from 2021 and 2022 to reinforce that idea.

If it’s any indication, Albies’ final batting-practice round before Saturday’s game appeared to be his best. After he was done, he exchanged a fist bump with Hyers.

The idea that Albies somehow can’t return to what he has been would not seem to compute. At 28, he would figure to be in the prime of his career.

“I’m in the best shape I can be working out and getting ready for another season,” Albies told The AJC in spring training. “I’m just happy that I’m healthy and ready to go.”

It’s a test for Albies and also for Hyers, too. Hyers was brought in this past offseason after the club fired longtime hitting coach Kevin Seitzer. How effectively and well he can help Albies find his swing will reflect on his ability to perform his job.

“He’s at the bottom a little, but we’ll look up and he’ll have his (normal) numbers,” Hyers said.

Albies is counting on it. So are the Braves. And, in a way, so is Hyers.