When Dansby Swanson came off the disabled list Saturday and returned to the Braves’ lineup, he did so wielding a bat with an axe handle.
Swanson is the latest major leaguer to switch to the unconventional axe handle or at least give it a try -- some because they’re curious and find out they like the feel and others because it’s said to be easier on the hands and wrists.
Braves veteran catcher Kurt Suzuki has used an axe-handed bat for a while and mentioned several times to Swanson that he ought to try it, but the shortstop resisted for the same reason many others do: Because it looked strange.
But after going on the disabled list just over two weeks ago with left-wrist inflammation, Swanson did some research during his down time and decided to try the bat.
Dustin Pedroia, Carlos Correa, George Springer and Kris Bryant are among the high-profile players who’ved used axe-handle bats.
“(Suzuki) always kind of has been in my ear about it – hey, you want to try it? But I was like, nah, dude, that’s stupid, just kind of joking with him. But once everybody was like, ‘Hey, it may not be a bad thing to just try and see if you like it.’”
Credit: Julie Jacobson
Credit: Julie Jacobson
Victus Bats made a batch of bats for him in his usual model but with an axe handle, and when Swanson was cleared to begin hitting May 13 – after 1-1/2 weeks of no hitting or catching – he started using the bats, first hitting off a tee and graduating to full batting practice.
He went 2-for-4 with two singles using the bat in his only injury-rehab game for low Single-A Rome on Thursday and will use it as his regular bat.
“Once you get over the fact that it’s different and you say, all right, I’m going to try this and commit to it, it allows you to have the freedom to move forward with it,” Swanson said. “It’s not holding you back, like, hey, that’s weird and different, I’m not going to do it. Yeah, it’s a little uncomfortable (initially) and nobody wants to do anything that’s uncomfortable. But it only took a day to kind of understand, like, hmm, this could really benefit me.”
As a right-handed hitter, Swanson’s left hand is his bottom hand on the bat, the hand that’s in contact with the handle end. He said the axe handle was easier to grip than the conventional round handle. He thinks it’ll help his wrist.
“Yeah, I think it does. From the research that’s gone into it, you can have – I don’t want to say a stronger grip, but you can have less tension going through your body to actually grip it,” he said. “It naturally grooves with you hand more, where with a rounded bat handle you’re having to, like, grip in different places to make sure you’re keeping a firm grip. Whereas that (axe handle) is, like, more naturally grooved so you don’t have to try as hard to hold on to it.”
Swanson didn’t divulge the wrist soreness until he came out of a May 2 game at New York, the last time he played before going on the DL two days later. He hit .186 with no extra-base hits, one RBI, 16 strikeouts and a .441 OPS in his last 11 games before going on the DL, after batting .352 with 11 extra-base hits, 12 RBIs and a .964 OPS in his first 17 games.
“He had a real good start, then I think the wrist started bothering him a little bit,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “So hopefully we’re getting him back healthy, confident, turning the bat loose, and he picks up where he left off prior to the wrist starting to bother him.
“It had been bothering him, I think, but he wanted to try to gut through it. And he did a pretty good job. But it gets to a point where, common sense (prevails).”
Since May 3, the day after Swanson left the game at New York, fill-in Johan Camargo was 6-for-41 (.146) with no extra-base hits and .473 OPS before Saturday, when Camargo moved to third base and hit seventh in front of Swanson.
When the Braves have to make a roster move next week to add a pitcher, either the versatile Camargo or left fielder/pinch-hitter Preston Tucker could be the odd man out since they have minor league options, while struggling third baseman Jose Bautista and veteran utility men Ryan Flaherty and Charlie Culberson are out of options.
Unless someone is designated for assignment – the Braves don’t seem to be far enough down the road just yet with Bautista to make that move -- then optioning Tucker or Camargo to Triple-A would be the likely move.
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