The Fast Start

After slashing .306/.356/.454 with a .347 wOBA and 118 wRC+ through his first two seasons as a big leaguer, where could Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor get better?

Well, for one thing, he could add a little more power, which is exactly what he's done.

After producing a fly-ball rate of just 29.8% with a 26.7% hard-hit rate between 2015 and 2016, Lindor upped those numbers to 45.0% and 38.3%, respectively, this past April. The results were fruitful, as he hit 7 homers and collected 17 RBI in 109 plate appearances. That led to a .330 ISO, and he was just as good at the plate as usual in other areas, evidenced by his .309/.380/.638 triple slash, .413 wOBA and 161 wRC+.

The Cold Streak

Lindor's power has mostly stuck -- his .169 ISO since May 1st is still higher than his career .148 mark heading into 2017 -- but everything else has gone in the opposite direction. The young shortstop is slashing .218/.275/.387 over his last 156 plate appearances, which has led to a .285 wOBA and 74 wRC+ during that time.

One of the great things about Lindor so far in his career is that when he's gotten into slumps, they haven't lasted all that long, enabling him to mostly stay consistent. However, he's been on a rather steady decline since that hot April.

The fly balls have remained a part of his game (42.4% fly-ball rate since May 1st), but he hasn't been making hard contact at the same frequency (29.8% hard-hit rate since May 1st). So, increased fly balls with a hard-hit rate that resembles what he did over the previous two seasons won't help him reach the numbers he's produced in the past.