This wasn’t the first September unkind to Kris Bryant. He’s not sure what it is about the ninth month of the year — could be fatigue of the season, could be random — but it’s been consistently the worst month for him as a hitter. His career .443 slugging percentage in September is worse than any other flip of the calendar.
“Certain months I do great, some I don’t,” Bryant told KNBR. “Sometimes there’s just no answers for it.”
For the Giants, Bryant’s September took an extreme turn in the wrong direction. He hit .245 overall in the month, but finished the final two weeks 10-for-65 at the plate (.179) with two doubles as his only extra base hits.
But now it’s October, a time Bryant’s also familiar with. The Giants acquired the 2016 NL MVP to add an extra veteran presence to the lineup, and he’ll get a chance to make a postseason impact as the Giants (107-55) host the Dodgers (106-56) to start the NLDS Friday.
Unlike September, Bryant doesn’t know his career October numbers. After a workout Thursday, he pointed up to the Oracle Park jumbo screen, which reminds him that although there are numbers everywhere in baseball, wins are the most important digit to him.
“It’s great,” Bryant said of the playoffs. “Because it’s really just about the wins. You kind of put your feelings aside, and regardless of how the game goes, it’s only about who wins at the end of the day. In that sense it’s very rewarding and kind of freeing. Because you either have a great game and help the team, great. Or you have a bad game and the team wins, great too.”
Bryant in fact has had both outstanding and poor postseasons. When leading the Cubs to their first World Series title in over a century in 2016, he went 20-for-65 (.307) with eight extra base hits in 17 games. He scored 11 runs and drove in eight more.
But otherwise, Bryant has struggled in the postseason. He hit .200 in two 2017 series, and is one for this last 14 at-bats in the postseason — two Wild Card game losses.
Which Bryant the Giants will get against the Dodgers is a mystery. He hit a home run in his first game as a Giant and smashed two more — his 16th career multi-home run game — against the Mets. Bryant slashed a formidable .281/.333/.551 in his first month with the team.
Then September came. Even while there was seemingly a hole in his barrel, Bryant reached base safely in 22 games, proving he can still impact winning.
Part of what makes the Giants fit for October, in Bryant’s eyes, could also help him.
“I said it from the moment I got here: the clubhouse culture, the picking guys up when certain guys are struggling,” Bryant said. “People getting hurt and guys filling their shoes. Regardless of the talent gap on the field, sometimes you don’t always have that part of a team. And this team has definitely had it this whole year. So I think that bodes well for us moving forward.”
Bryant’s inconsistency isn’t limited to the batter’s box, though. The four-time All-Star was lauded for his defensive versatility and has played each outfield position plus third base for SF. He’s also manned first in the past and has taken practice reps at second base.
There have been some flashy diving plays mixed in, but overall he hasn’t provided value for the Giants anywhere yet. Bryant has -3 defensive runs saved in the outfield for the Giants. At third, his traditional position, he’s recorded -2 DRS.
He yanked a throw at third against the Dodgers on Sept. 5, and committed another error at the corner versus San Diego five days later. He’s also misplayed at least one catchable ball toward triples alley in right-center — a particularly challenging area for fielders.
Bryant said he doesn’t feel more or less comfortable at one position or another. Sometimes playing all over the diamond makes him feel like a little leaguer again. But his versatility has had its drawbacks for Bryant and the Giants.
“It’s always going to be a work in progress for me,” Bryant said. “Just moving all over the field. Not really staying at one spot. Some days you can feel frustrated with it, but that’s a tool that I’ve used my whole career, basically, being able to move around the field. At the same time, there are days where you’re out there and you’re kind of just like lost because you haven’t done it in a while. Sometimes that’s frustrating, but it’s important for me to get reps I did today at all the different positions.”
Thursday, Bryant spent time working one-on-one with infielders coach Kai Correa, both at third and first base. He hasn’t talked with the coaching staff about where exactly he’ll be playing in the postseason, but said sometimes you play your best when you’re just thrown right into it. These four “relaxing” days to work out have given Bryant time to brush up on his skills, he said, especially at first with Brandon Belt out.
“It’s nice to kind of get four days to kind of check out, because you only really get one day here and there, and it’s a long season,” Bryant said. “Especially, you need it before the craziness starts. I know we’ve all really enjoyed it, but we’re ready to go.”