How Zack Gelof is Turning Things Around

The 2024 season has been a bit of a struggle for A's second baseman Zack Gelof. Some call it a sophomore slump as the league adjusts to a player in their second season, but Gelof is far from the only second-year player struggling this season after a solid rookie campaign.

NL Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll is currently batting .192 with a .278 OBP, tw o homers and nine steals in 13 chances. Last year he batted .285 with a .362 on-base, 25 home runs, and 54 steals in 59 chances.

Gelof wasn't quite as spectacular in his rookie season, batting .267 with a .337 OBP, 14 homers and 14 stolen bases in 60 games, but at this point in time the two are playing similarly. Gelof is hitting .193 with a .254 OBP with five homers and six steals.

Yet, there is hope that Gelof is starting to turn things around. The 24-year-old has recorded a hit in each of those contests, going 7-for-23 (.304) with two homers and two steals.

Gelof talked about the changes he's made to his swing recently that have been leading to that success ahead of Tuesday game.

"I'm just staying on plane longer and through the ball. Having through contact being stronger instead of coming up out of it. So it's something I've focused on, getting to the top zone in all my work so that when I see it lower, I just kind of stay through it. Try to keep me on the pitch. You know, using the whole field like I normally do."

When asked if he's feeling a bit more like he did last year, Gelof said, "I think whenever you take closer pitches and [I'm] not as aggressive, it means I'm seeing it well. Then, it's about making harder contact more consistently, which is something I've done in the past. Hopefully [I'm] getting back to that and being helpful to the team."

On Wednesday night he took a 96-mile-per-hour Logan Gilbert fastball on the outside edge to right-center for a home run, his fifth of the season.