What Is a Slump in Baseball?
Quick answer
A stretch when a player performs well below their usual level, most often a hitter who goes many at-bats without a hit.
In this article
A slump is a stretch when a player performs well below his usual level. Most of the time it means a hitter who goes many at-bats without a hit, often called going "0-for-something." Pitchers and fielders can slump too, but hitting slumps are the ones everyone talks about.
What counts as a slump
There's no official definition. A good hitter going 0-for-15 or 2-for-30 is usually described as slumping. Because baseball is built on failure (a .300 batting average means making an out seven times in ten), every hitter goes through cold stretches. A slump is when one drags on.
Common causes
- Mechanics drift. Small changes in stance, hand position or timing add up.
- Fatigue and minor injuries. A sore wrist or tired legs slow the bat.
- Pitchers adjust. Scouting reports find a hole, and the hitter sees nothing but that pitch.
- Bad luck. Hard-hit balls right at fielders still go in the box score as outs.
- Pressing. Trying too hard leads to chasing pitches and over-swinging.
How to break a slump
- Check the video. Compare your swing now to when you were hitting well.
- Go back to basics. Tee work and soft toss to rebuild a simple, repeatable swing; a good batting tee is worth owning.
- Use the whole field. Trying to hit the ball up the middle or the other way keeps your front shoulder in and your eyes on the ball.
- Shrink the zone. Swing only at pitches you can drive, and take the rest.
- Judge at-bats, not hits. A hard-hit out or a long at-bat is a win. Coaches track quality at-bats for this reason.
- Stay loose. Every hitter slumps. Panicking and changing everything usually makes it worse.
The opposite of a slump
When a hitter is hot, you'll hear that he's raking. Both streaks are usually shorter than they feel at the time.
Related terms
- How to hit a baseball harder
- Slugging percentage
- Batting order strategy: why slumping hitters often move down the lineup
More definitions: baseball terms explained.
Frequently asked questions
What is a slump in baseball?
A slump is a stretch when a player performs well below his usual level. Usually it means a hitter who goes many at-bats without a hit or with very few.
How long does a slump last?
There is no set length. A hitter going 0-for-15 or worse is usually said to be slumping, and some slumps last weeks.
What causes a hitting slump?
Mechanical changes in the swing, fatigue, minor injuries, pitchers exploiting a weakness, bad luck on hard-hit balls and pressing too hard mentally are the usual causes.
How do you break out of a slump?
Go back to basics in the cage, work the middle of the field, simplify your approach, check for small mechanical changes on video and remember that hard-hit outs are still good at-bats.
