Cincinnati Reds infielder Jose Peraza has clearly turned things around. After hitting .216 with a .513 OPS through his first 18 games, he’s batted .359 with a .795 OPS in his last nine. Not-so-coincidentally, he’s riding a nine-game hitting streak.
The more intriguing questions is why. For much of his hitting streak, the 23-year-old has batted seventh in the lineup, down from the two-hole where he began the season. But to hear him tell it, being in a less pressure filled spot has little to do with his turnaround.
“I don’t have any pressure,” Peraza said, trying out his English.