By working to shorten swing, Gregory Polanco becoming more productive for Pirates

Gregory Polanco picks up on tendencies, so when St. Louis Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty got him to ground into a forceout, the Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder knew what pitch to expect his next time up.

So Polanco was expecting Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina to call for a fastball from Flaherty. Polanco responded by smacking a 395-foot, two-run homer into the right-field stands in the fifth inning Wednesday night in the 8-5 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

“I was looking for it because in the at-bat before — my second at-bat — they got me out with that pitch, and Yadi is like that. He likes to repeat,” Polanco said. “So now I’ve got to be ready for the fastball because I know Flaherty, he likes his fastball a lot, like up in the zone. So I was ready for it, trying to stay short and put a good swing on it.”

Shortening his swing has been a major emphasis for Polanco, who was batting .198 on May 11 but since has gone 8 for 23 (.347) with two doubles, a home run and six RBIs, as well as three walks and six strikeouts, in his past seven games. Polanco went 2 for 4 with a walk, homer and RBI single against the Cardinals on Wednesday, after going 2 for 3 with two singles and a walk Tuesday.

Polanco is one of the league leaders in maximum exit velocity, but putting the barrel of the bat on the ball is another story. He also has a tendency to strike out with loopy swings. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder has long levers, so shortening his swing feels like an unnatural movement against pitchers with velocity routinely in the high 90s.

“They’re opening, opening because I have long arms, I’m tall, I’m big, so they’re trying to not let me sit on it,” Polanco said. “Because when I sit on it, that’s when I hit the ball hard, so just trying to stay short, and that’s what I’m doing right now.”

Polanco has spent extra time working in the batting cage with Pirates hitting coach Rick Eckstein, who is throwing pitches from a “really close” distance to force Polanco to make adjustments.

“It makes it seem like he’s throwing me 100 (mph),” Polanco said, “so I have to stay short.”

The shortened swing has helped Polanco make more contact, and he hopes his daily work in the cage will continue that trend. Polanco believes he is “making a lot of good progress” by trying to stay short and put a good swing on pitches.

“Exactly,” Polanco said. “You just have to hit it on the barrel, and the ball is going to go.”

The plate isn’t the only place Polanco is showing improvement. Shelton cited his defense in right field, as well, crediting Polanco for cutting off a Nolan Arenado line drive in the second inning.

“One thing that really stands out to me is the way he’s moving in the outfield,” Shelton said. “I thought he made an unbelievable play on a ball … it was really hard to his right. Off the bat, it (looks like) a double and he busts over and gets it and stops it. It looks like his legs are underneath him. He’s in a good spot. He’s really playing hard. Really good night for him on both sides of the ball.”