The 2023 season didn't end how the Houston Astros had hoped, falling just short of the World Series after losing Games 6 and 7 of the ALCS at home against the Texas Rangers.
Not surprisingly, many Astros are ready to turn the page from last year, including shortstop Jeremy Pena.
Pena took a major step back last season after bursting onto the scene in 2022, winning a Gold Glove and World Series MVP as a rookie. His performance regressed at the plate, however, as his home run total dropped from 22 to 10, and his slugging percentage tumbled 45 points in 2023.
It's not unusual to see players fall off after a strong rookie season as the league adjusts to them. The key to a successful career is whether a player can make his own adjustments in return.
Sure enough, Pena has been working hard this offseason to get himself back on track.
In a recent segment for Dynamic Sports Training Houston, Pena revealed his offseason workout regimen for building his massive muscles. As you'd expect, he hits the gym hard, doing rigorous exercises such as force plate jumps, weight lifting, medicine ball throws and more.
Pena also opened up about his struggles last year and what he's been doing to fix his swing.
"Last year was a season of a lot of learning. I learned a lot about myself, about my swing, about my whole game overall. Now, in this offseason, we've made some adjustments and I'm excited."
He described his new swing as "like having a new toy." He added that he's trying to focus on having less hand movement and being more efficient with his swing.
Time will tell if the hard work pays off, but it seems like Pena has done a good job preparing himself for a successful 2024 campaign.
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