The Pirates are making an adjustment to infielder Pedro Alvarez's stance to help improve his offensive output.
Working with hitting coach Jeff Branson, Alvarez is resting his bat on his shoulder before starting his swing, instead of holding it off the shoulder.
“We're trying to ... figure out ways to get him relaxed at the plate and take the tension out of him at the plate,” Jeff Branson said, per Travis Sawchik of Trib Total Media. “You'll see him start on the shoulder and take it off when he's ready to hit."
It seems to be working. Alvarez is hitting .381 this spring, with two home runs and eight RBI.