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ANALYSIS: Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell does not leave much to be excited about when you look at his surface stats . The Cubs’ shortstop is hitting .219 with zero home runs and just two RBI through 19 games.
Take a moment to check under the hood, however, and there are encouraging signs. Russell has always known how to take a walk, but he us running a 12.5 BB% that is four full ticks above his career rate. More importantly, he has cut way down on the whiffs, with just 10 punchouts in 74 plate appearances.
The 24-year-old is not chasing pitches out of the zone nearly as often as in years past, and he is making more contact when he does elect to swing. It might be a bit early to say that Russell is a safe bet as a starting shortstop, but remember that he had 21 home runs and 95 RBI in 2016. He is a great option as a MI, particularly in deeper leagues.
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