KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Amid frequent questions about pinch-hitting for Andrew Vaughn, Tony La Russa has asserted that it’s hard to say they lack confidence in someone they’re writing in the starting lineup. In that sense, there has been no loss of confidence in Yermín Mercedes as he hit .235/.278/.324 over his previous 10 games, the inevitable cooldown from a literally historic hot start.
But that doesn’t mean, ahead of Sunday’s 9-3 sweep-clinching victory in Kansas City, that they couldn’t notice things.
“He’s just gotten a little big,” said La Russa of Mercedes’ swing. “He’s working to get back to where he’s more direct to the ball and not trying to … he doesn’t have to do more.
