Slumping Carlos Beltran Needs To Pick It Up

Jun 10, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Carlos Beltran (36) hits a single against the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

When the Yankees signed Carlos Beltran this past off season, they were expecting big things from his bat. They know he is a dangerous hitter when he’s hot, and it was nice to be able to add a home run hitter to the lineup. With an injury that he has been battling for over a month now, this has effected his productivity at the plate immensely.

Since coming back from his injury after having not played in three weeks, Beltran is hitting a weak .171 in June. Not only is he struggling at the plate, but he is assigned the designated hitter role because that bone spur is preventing him from playing in the outfield like he was used to doing. If he is only going to be a hitter in games, he really needs to step it up.

Although he is going to have to deal with the bone spur until the offseason when he gets surgery, there is still no excuse. If the bone spur was still bothering him, he wouldn’t have come back to the team. He needs to figure out how he can get out of this miserable slump. With Alfonso Soriano having a horrific season and Mark Teixeira being in and out of the lineup, the Yankees desperately need Beltran to figure out his hitting woes. It could be a different turn around for the offense once he gets going.

“Physically I feel fine,” Beltran told Chad Jennings of LoHud. “It’s just more timing. I’ve still got to go through BP and go to the cage and continue to work.”