Boston Red Sox: Andrew Benintendi has found success with new swing

Boston Red Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi tweaked his swing a little over a week ago, and he’s already seeing incredible results.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi was 10 for his last 56 entering last week’s series vs. the Tampa Bay Rays.

Since then, the Red Sox left fielder has been seemingly impossible to get out.

His recent success, or rather dominance, can be attributed to a tweak he made in his swing a little over a week ago.

He disclosed that he shortened his leg-lift, allowing him more time to see the ball and react to different pitches. Take a look at the home run he hit three nights ago:

His stride is short, quick, and quiet. He doesn’t lift his foot more than a few inches off the ground, and he gets it down in time to recognize pitches and let outer-half pitches travel, while also giving him the ability to turn on inside fastballs.

The results speak for themselves, as Andrew Benintendi is 21-43 with two homers, two doubles, twelve runs batted in, and two walks in his last ten games. He has been aided by some luck, as his batting average on balls in play is a ridiculous .567 during this span, but he’s still putting together consistent quality at bats.

Using the Whole Field

Another notable thing Benintendi has done well recently is go to the opposite field with authority. The home run in the video above is a perfect example of this, but it’s not the only one.

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Benny has been taking advantage of the extra time he’s gained from his shortened stride, and has been letting the ball travel as a result. This allows him to hit through the shift, as backside ground balls become easy hits.

This phenomenon is supported by his splits, which show that Benintendi is batting .439 with four home runs and 16 doubles on balls hit to the opposite field, per Fangraphs. By comparison, he’s hitting .361 with seven home runs and twelve doubles on balls hit to center or pull-side. The left fielder is at his best when he hits the ball to left field, who would have thought?

The Boston Red Sox have struggled to get the offense hot at the same time this season, so it’s encouraging that Benintendi is showing some consistency. Hopefully this change continues to manifest and Benintendi will once again become the top-of-the-order bat we had always hoped for.

It’s not too far fetched to imagine Andrew Benintendi reaching the 20/20 mark for the second time in three years if he continues on the right track. He is currently a bright spot on an otherwise dark roster, and we can only hope his success fuels the rest of the team.