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Francona: Encarnacion is 'getting more dangerous'

Ken Blaze / USA TODAY Sports

It was only a matter of time before Edwin Encarnacion turned the corner.

The Cleveland Indians first baseman is starting to show signs of what made him one of the most feared hitters in the American League over the past half-decade as his bat heats up with the weather.

Encarnacion blasted a pair of home runs Tuesday in an 8-7 win over the Cincinnati Reds for his first multi-homer game with the Tribe since inking a three-year, $60-million deal over the winter.

"I think he's getting more dangerous," Indians manager Terry Francona said Tuesday, according to MLB.com. "He's hit a number of balls just foul, but he's barreling them up. I think you're going to see nights like this won't be the only time."

The three-time All-Star hit .198/.342/.328 with five home runs, two doubles, 12 RBIs, and 46 strikeouts over his first 37 games, but he's gotten into a grove over the past week. Encarnacion is hitting .296/.345/.815 with four homers, two doubles, and eight RBIs in his last seven games.

Getting off to a slow start is nothing new for Encarnacion, though forgive some fans in Ohio for hitting the panic button early due to their unfamiliarity with the slugger.

Encarnacion is a career .243/.324/.433 hitter in April, and things don't usually get much better in May as he sports an eerily similar .243/.326/.491 line the following month. But it's June, July, and August when Encarnacion really shows off his strengths, and recent performance indicates he's right on track to follow that.

MONTH GP 2B HR AVG/OBP/SLG
March/April 269 56 42 .243/.324/.433
May 266 46 65 .243/.326/.491
June 219 50 48 .287/.386/.550
July 239 55 43 .288/.378/.515
Aug 289 70 62 .278/.355/.520
Sept/Oct 275 38 59 .257/.353/.481

Encarnacion's resurgence has directly impacted the Indians' fortunes in the win column, as well. Cleveland has won four of its last five games - including a three-game road sweep against the Houston Astros, with Encarnacion hitting .300/.333/.850 with three homers, two doubles, and six RBIs.

"I feel really good, and I feel better every single day," Encarnacion told reporters following Tuesday's two-homer night.

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