Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant is not hitting well in the 2017 postseason. His manager, Joe Maddon, feels that his star’s slump is a matter of confidence.
Joe says part of Kris Bryant's slump is a "confidence issue." pic.twitter.com/L0ojvSZMBX
— Paul Sullivan (@PWSullivan) October 17, 2017
Whatever the cause, Bryant’s needs to snap out of it fast.
In the NLDS victory over the Washington Nationals, Bryant slashed at .200/.238/.300. Through the first two games of the NLCS, he is slashing at .125/.125/.125 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Just as problematic has been the lack of power. Bryant, who hit 29 home runs in the 2017 regular season and three during the 2016 postseason, has yet to hit a long ball in the 2017 playoffs.
If the Cubs are going to advance to their second straight World Series, they’ll need to defeat the Dodgers in four of the next five games. That’s already a tall task. But if Bryant can’t break out of his slump, that tall task will be nearly impossible.