Earlier in the season, we took a look at with Tanner Stokey of Driveline Baseball. This piece turned into a glowing review of France, who at that point was on Justin Jones Jersey pace for the best offensive season by a first baseman in franchise history. Since June, however, France has fallen off dramatically and it has dwarfed the Mariners' offense. Even after the return of Mitch Haniger, Je se Winker heating up and marginal upgrades acro s the roster, the offense continues to struggle. France is right in the middle of the lineups slump, so what has gone wrong?To figure that out, we really dont need in-depth analysis. The Seattle first baseman hurt his elbow in a collision on June 25, followed by a wrist Joey Bosa Jersey injury a month later. He recently said the injuries have not affected him and that I just suck at baseball right now. While the 2022 All-Star certainly does not suck at baseball, the injuries do seem to have impacted his performance whether he realizes it or not. France hovers around league-average in bat speed and exit velocity, and relies heavily on his ability to make contact consistently and spray the ball around the field even behind in the count.Scroll to ContinueAny reduction in bat speed due to injury is going to reduce his ability to catch up to pitches he otherwise would. The swing-and-mi s seems to have increased, and he has been chasing more than normal.This has led to more ground balls Los Angeles Chargers Jersey , fewer hard-hit balls and a reduction in power.The Mariners need France back in top form, or even close to it if they want to make a run at the first wild-card position in the American League. Their offense is evidently not built to score piles of runs, even when France JK Scott Jersey is as close to 100 percent as po sible.In Thursdays series opener against the Guardians, France was forced to leave the game with a calf bruise. He pinch-hit in Friday's walk-off victory and struck out on three pitches, then started on Saturday and was promptly ejected arguing Los Angeles Chargers T Shirts balls and strikes with home plate umpire Lance Barrett after going 0 for 2 with a strikeout.The rough stretch just continues France, and it wouldn't be a stretch to a sume his frustrations are starting to impact his play on top of his physical recovery. But if he can get healthy and produce in the middle of the Mariners' order, Seattle can do much more than just snap its 20-year playoff drought this fall.
