The Punisher is back, folks! Aristides Aquino has made adjustments to his batting stance and his hard work is paying off big time. But it's not just the long ball this time.
Back in August of 2019, Aquino took the league by storm. The Cincinnati Reds outfielder took over for the departed Yasiel Puig in right field and smacked 14 home runs while collecting Player of the Month honors.
But during the following offseason, the Reds signed free agent outfielders Nick Castellanos and Shogo Akiyama. Aquino's role on the 2020 squad was reduced, and then injuries forced The Punisher to miss a god chunk of time in 2021. Finally healthy and willing to make adjustments, Aristides Aquino is making another late-season charge.
Since August 31st, Aristides Aquino is hitting .354/.404/.771 and has a wRC+ of 215 according to FanGraphs. Aquino has five home runs during that span, but also five doubles. That stretch also includes five multi-hit games, three of which included three hits.
Aquino isn't just crushing home runs and seeing his OPS buoyed by a high slugging percentage. He's putting the bat on the ball, hitting it hard, and seeing the results of his time in the batting cage.
Aquino, who's been very strikeout-prone this season and throughout his career, has a strikeout-rate of just 21.2% during this recent 14-game stretch. Only three times during those 14 games has Aquino struck out multiple times in a game and he's gone strikeout-free in seven of those contests.
Combine Aristides Aquino's recent surge with his spectacular defense in right field and the Cincinnati Reds are sure to hang on to The Punisher during the offseason. It has always been about potential for the 28-year-old, and right now, there's not a hotter hitter on the Reds' ball club.
Next. 2 IF prospects who will be added to Reds roster, 1 who won't. dark
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