Cardinals' Wong hits 5th HR in 7 games since returning from DL
Would the Real Kolten Wong please stand up?
The St. Louis Cardinals are hoping he already is after Wong slugged his fifth home run in seven games since spending 15 days on the disabled list.
Wong's new-found power could be as simple as getting really hot over a small sample size, something baseball players are prone to do.
But what makes the second baseman's power surge all the more surprising is that prior to landing on the DL with a bruised shoulder, Wong had just one home run to his name over his first 233 career plate appearances.
With his HR today, Kolten Wong now has 5 HR in his last 7 games. The last @Cardinals 2B to do that was Frankie Frisch in 1930!
— FOX Sports Live (@FOXSportsLive) July 13, 2014
The Cardinals' 2011 first-round pick added to his total Saturday, raising his July slash line to .368/.455/1.053 over seven games.
Manager Mike Matheny credits Wong's decisive approach at the plate for his recent tear.
"When he sets to swing, you don't see a lot of half swings. When he decides to the pull the trigger, he pulls it," Matheny said, via MLB.com. "The bat speed is what will result in the ball jumping out of the park, not necessarily lifting it."
Wong's six home runs are tied for the second-most among rookie second basemen.