Five free-swinging MLB hitters who’ve been successful this season

MLB: Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds
Five free-swinging MLB hitters who've been successful this season
Aug 4, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins left fielder Eddie Rosario (20) hits a sacrifice fly for an RBI during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Eddie Rosario, OF, Minnesota Twins

Rosario has already established a new career-high in fWAR — he did so by the All-Star break — as well as clinching his second consecutive 20-homer campaign with plenty of time to keep adding to his total.

The 26-year-old outfielder has done this despite a 57.1% swing rate, which includes a 42.2% chase rate (a number that was down at 37.6% in ’17). Still, his 129 wRC+ is on the verge of rising for the third consecutive year.

Unlike Gregorius, though, Rosario has had a couple of unreal months sandwiched around more disappointing ones. From April through August, his monthly wRC+ reads as follows: 74, 171, 187, 66, and 92.

What’s interesting is that his performance against four-seamers and two-seamers has seemingly flipped from one year to the next. In 2017, he owned a 151 wRC+ with a .270 ISO against four-seamers, but those numbers are down to 100 and .140, respectively, this year. Rosario struggled to a 77 wRC+ and .111 ISO against two-seamers last season, but has improved to 171 and .148, respectively thus far in 2018.

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