Athletics' Ryon Healy: Time off cures early slump

Healy, who has gone 11-for-21 with four doubles, a home run, six RBI and four runs over his last seven games, rediscovered his swing during a two-game benching, John Hickey of the East Bay Times reports. "The game was going too fast for me for a few weeks there," Healy said in analysis. "I think it happens to everybody throughout the course of the season. Unfortunately for me, this was how I started the season. So having those two days to reevaluate and slow things back down I think it's helped me be more successful now."

Analysis:

After an 0-for-4 day against the Astros on April 15, Healy's line was sitting at an unsightly .170/.204/.340, a sharp departure for the player who'd knocked the cover off the ball over 72 games with the A's last season and socked five homers over 23 spring contests this year. Manager Bob Melvin stepped in and deployed the 25-year-old as a pinch hitter over the next two games, with Healy hitting safely in both. That seemed to kick-start his offense, leading to the aforementioned stretch that's raised each part of his slash line over 100 points.