Spring Training is heating up, and the New York Yankees are gearing up for another season with plenty on their plate. One player to watch is Ryan McMahon, who's making some key adjustments to his game, particularly in reducing strikeouts.
McMahon shared with Greg Joyce of the New York Post that he's revisiting past techniques that he had drifted away from. “They pointed them out, and we worked on them.
Trying to find a way to give myself the best chance every single time and be consistent with it,” McMahon explained.
Last season, McMahon's batting stance was noteworthy, with an average distance of 42.7 inches between his feet. According to Baseball Savant, this was the fourth-highest among major leaguers, marking a stance that wasn't as open as the top hitters.
His performance at the plate saw him hit .223 with 16 homers, 39 RBIs, and a hefty 134 strikeouts over 105 games with the Yankees and Colorado Rockies. This was a dip from his previous season, where he hit .242 with 20 home runs, 65 RBIs, and 165 strikeouts. McMahon is eager to get back to his former self and help the Yankees in the process.
The strikeout numbers tell a story: last season's rate stood at 32.3%, up from 28.8% in 2024 and 31.6% in 2023. His goal is to return to the more manageable rates of 26.5% in 2022 and 24.7% in 2021.
Alongside reducing strikeouts, McMahon is also honing his defensive skills, aiming to boost the Yankees' standings after their Divisional Series exit to the Toronto Blue Jays last season. Cutting down on strikeouts could be the perfect starting point for a strong comeback.