Francona waiting for Reynolds to end slump

SEATTLE -- Indians manager Terry Francona has been trying to find the opportune times lately for putting struggling Mark Reynolds in the lineup.

Reynolds was one of Cleveland's top offensive performers in the batter's box in April, but the designated hitter and part-time first baseman has been mired in a slump that is approaching three months. Francona still believes that it is only a matter of time before Reynolds gets on a roll again.

Reynolds was in the starting lineup as the first baseman for Tuesday's game in Seattle.

"We're dying for him to get hot," Francona said. "I've kept saying all along that we know there's a streak in there. He knows it. We know it. It's just the sooner it happens, the better for all of us. You get stuck sometimes, because we're trying to win and I want to give him enough at-bats to get him hot.

"He's had a pretty good dry spell, but I know that there's a hot streak in there. I'd sure like to see it."

Reynolds entered Tuesday batting just .075 (3-for-40) through 13 games in July. Dating to May 7, he had hit at a .172 clip with a .519 on-base plus slugging percentage in 64 games. Prior to that stretch of games, Reynolds hit .300 with a 1.026 OPS in his first 28 games of the season for the Tribe.

Overall this season, Reynolds has hit .213 with 15 home runs and 47 RBIs in 92 games.

"Whatever has happened, has happened," Francona said. "Once he takes that one good swing, once he gets back on that where he feels good, he'll be every bit as dangerous as he ever was. Maybe his batting average is a little lower than he'd like, but that won't matter once he gets hot."