Dylan Crews Flashed Some of His New Approach in First Game Back With Nationals

There were clear positives to take away from Dylan Crews' return to the Washington Nationals.

Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Dylan Crews returned to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday.

After starting out in Triple-A following the organization's decision to option him to Rochester because of his struggles last season and during spring training, the former second overall pick made the adjustments the Nationals wanted to see from him before they called him back up to The Show.

Chasing less and getting the ball in the air more often is what Washington worked with him on improving. And to do that, they had to revamp his swing and approach at the plate, which didn't translate to success immediately. However, in the month of May, things started to click for Crews. And that prompted the Nationals to give him another chance in the majors.

Dylan Crews Slugged His Way Into This Promotion

Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Prior to getting recalled, Crews had gone 17-for-59 across 15 games in the month of May; good for a batting average of .288. He recorded four multi-hit games and had a hit in every contest except for two. He also only struck out 12 times, which was a huge improvement for the free-swinger. However, what really pushed Washington to promote him was the fact he was crushing the ball.

"He's just been torching the ball," president of baseball operations Paul Toboni said, per Jessica Camerato of MLB.com. "I think he's got close to 20 balls hit over 100 mph in his last 10 or 11 games. I think what has really allowed that is he's just really locked in on his approach and being able to control the zone. His whiff has been down. He's been really, really good."

Performing in that fashion against minor league pitchers is one thing, but to do it against the best pitchers in the world is a whole different challenge that Crews hasn't been able to master just yet. But, with this new approach, the Nationals are hoping he now has the tools and mentality to succeed in the MLB this time around.

Dylan Crews Showed Signs of His Improved Approach in First Game

Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Crews didn't hit a home run or an extra-base hit in his return, but he did flash some things that he worked on. For starters, he didn't strike out. That is going to be something to keep an eye on during this stint, as chasing pitches to put himself in disadvantageous counts were something he struggled with that led to his K numbers. The other thing to note, even though it was just one game, is the fact that he made contact on every swing he made and only swung at pitches outside of the zone 14.3% of the time.

What will likely continue to be a work in progress is lifting the ball. The only time he had a launch angle above 25 degrees -- 25-30 is the ideal range for a home run -- was when he popped out during his first at-bat. His single was a negative-25 degree launch angle, and his other two at-bats yielded a ground out that was negative-three degrees and a lineout that was 22 degrees.

Getting the ball in the air with power is going to be key for Crews' long-term success. And while he showcased an improved approach at the plate when it came to his decision making, becoming a difference maker in the MLB will hinge on him producing results with his revamped swing.