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Avila went 0-for-2 with a strikeout and a pair of walks Wednesday in the Diamondbacks' 8-2 loss to the Brewers.
With a double-digit walk percentage in every season of his career since he reached the big leagues in 2009, Avila has long been lauded for his plate discipline. However, the backstop may be taking too patient of an approach, as he's swung at just 33.3 percent of the pitches he has seen this season, the fifth-lowest rate among all players in the majors with at least 80 plate appearances. Further compounding the problem, Avila hasn't been able to do much when he has bothered to lift the bat off his shoulders, as he's posted a career-worst 45.9 percent strikeout rate to depress his average to .125. Avila still looks like the Diamondbacks' No. 1 option behind the plate, but his leash has likely shortened in light of his slow start and the emergence of backup catcher John Ryan Murphy, who has been a surprise power source with a .231 ISO across 55 plate appearances.
