Orioles outfielder Mark Trumbo entered Wednesday's game against the San Diego Padres in his worst slump of the season, but spoke before batting practice like a man with prior struggles who knew they'd be fleeting.
The downturn came after he hit his league-leading 20th home run two weeks ago, marring the best start of any season in his career. But the slides he's endured over seven major league seasons told him this one wouldn't last.
"You hope that the good times last forever, but this game is too hard to be unrealistic and think that you're not going to hit some rough stretches," Trumbo said before the game. "I think I'm getting a few hits in there, but I'm not driving it like I know I can. That's part of the process of getting back — reinforcing some of my better habits, and get back to where you want to be."
That assessment of his driving the ball ended Wednesday night. Trumbo hit his 21st homer of the season in the second inning, then doubled to left-center field in the fourth. He finished with a team-high three hits and scored twice.
The stretch between home runs was a difficult one for him, though. He'd been scuffling since hitting his 20th home run June 7. In the 13 games since, he hit .182 (10-for-55) without a home run. His average dropped from .299 to .276 in that span, with small things like vision and timing contributing to Trumbo's skid.
"It's probably been a combination of anything," Trumbo said. "I think the biggest indicator is fouling off the good pitches to hit. That's always the kiss of death to me. If you're getting good pitches and you're not connecting, the confidence can get [down]. You try to keep it as high as you can. It's inevitable. At times you're going to wonder what's going on. But that's all part of it. There hasn't been one season where I haven't hit a skid. Hopefully, it doesn't last that long, but sometimes you've got to wear it for a while."
Historically, Trumbo also has been better earlier in the season than later, only bucking that trend last year with the Seattle Mariners. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he's still the same player without the production at the plate.
"Mark's been solid in a lot of ways — more than just hitting, obviously," Showalter said. "It's been pretty consistent, for the most part. He's shown a lot of things that you really just don't know about a guy completely until you have him every day. He runs the bases well, tries to run the bases well, throws OK. Mark's engaged in every part of the game. He wants to be part of everything."
Trumbo never got caught atop the wave of success that carried him to the top of the major league home run leader board, perhaps because he's so often been through stretches where the opposite has happened. That level approach can only help as he looks to pull himself out of this slide.
"The thing is, it's not the thinking that's going to get you back," Trumbo said. "It's just things lock in in the weirdest times. It could be a two-strike count. It's more a feeling than anything, and that feeling is what gives you the confidence. It's perspective. It's not the end of the world. We've still been playing great. Some other guys have been really hitting the ball. You just do what you can and try to work to keep improving in."
Wright stays in Norfolk: Showalter said right-hander Mike Wright was a candidate to come up in Duensing's place, but the Orioles want him to pitch consistently for the Tides. He started their game Wednesday.
"I don't want to be yo-yo-ing him back and forth and this and that just because of our needs," Showalter said. "We could have taken him, put him in the bullpen or even started him. … I think he needs to pitch down there, and that he needs to pitch better. If he pitches better, he'll get another opportunity."
Around the horn: Right-hander Vance Worley (groin) is on target to return from the DL on June 28, the day he's eligible, Showalter said. Worley threw a bullpen session Tuesday and has another scheduled for Thursday. … The Orioles announced Wednesday that 15 draft picks have signed with the organization: shortstop Alexis Torres (fifth round), pitcher Zach Muckenhirn (11), pitcher Max Knutson (12), pitcher Ruben Garcia (14), pitcher Nick Jobst (15), pitcher Layne Bruner (18), center fielder Cole Billingsley (19), pitcher Zach Matson (24), third baseman Jaime Estrada (26), pitcher Matt De La Rosa (28), second baseman Garrett Copeland (30), center fielder Jake Ring (31), pitcher Lucas Brown (34), second baseman Tanner Kirk (35) and pitcher James Teague (37).