Colorado Rockies: 3 encouraging numbers from a discouraging June

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NEW YORK, NY – MAY 06: Ian Desmond #20 of the Colorado Rockies connects on a solo home run in the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on May 6, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

Ian Desmond’s June slash line: .262/.392/.548

Not long ago, Ian Desmond was on pace to have one of the worst seasons in the history of Major League Baseball.

But the $70 million dollar man has changed the narrative.

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In the month of June, he was the Rockies’ best hitter by wRC+ (142). In 106 plate appearances he hit eight homers (though just two at home, continuing that strange trend) and drove in 19 runs.

Obviously, we welcome Desmond’s power surge and respectable batting average. But the .392 on-base percentage is the most eye-popping statistic. He had almost as many walks (17) as hits (23) in June, a major reason why he touched home plate 20 times. Though he still led the team in strikeouts, with 32, his plate discipline is vastly improved.

"“He hasn’t been fooled very often in the last few weeks,” Manager Bud Black told The Denver Post. “Even the tough, borderline pitches — when he’s seeing it and starts to fire — he’s checking his swing. That’s a good sign the at-bats are where you want them to be.”"

Desmond will probably stabilize somewhere below his June numbers, but he’s escaped his nightmare start to 2018, likely for good. His career slash line is .264/.315/.424, a reasonable expectation for Desmond the rest of the season.

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