5 explanations for JBJ’s breakout

Even when fans and pundits were predicting an American League Rookie of the Year Award for Jackie Bradley Jr. in 2013, few could have seen this coming. After Bradley extended his hitting streak to 24 games during the Red Sox’s doubleheader against the Royals on Wednesday, his hitting line is now a Mike Troutian .338/.390/.607 on the season.

It’s an outcome that seemed impossible less than a year ago. After all, Bradley hit a pitcher-esque.196/.268/.280 in 530 plate appearances between 2013-14. That kept him on the Triple-A shuttle for most of last season, before he broke out with a .354/.429/.734 August. After he slumped to hit .216 in the season’s final month, we were left to wonder just which Bradley would appear this season.

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Six weeks into the season, it appears we have our answer. Here are five explanations for just how he’s done it:

1. Pulling the ball

Coaches and players often talk about the need to use the whole field, but if you want to hit the ball with authority, you’re going to want to pull the ball. It’s why, despite ever more shifts, you don’t see many power hitters choking up and punching singles the other way.

After pulling the ball just 36.1 percent of the time in 2014, he upped that to 45.5 percent last year and is at 45.1 percent this season.

You can see the difference simply by comparing his 2014 and ’16 Baseball Savant spray charts:

That shows up in his exit velocity, too. Not only is he hitting the ball slightly harder and farther than last …

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