Dickerson believes this offseason's 25-pound weight loss, which he accomplished through a combination of diet and targeted exercise, will significantly help his performance in 2017, Bill Chastain of MLB.com reports. "I feel completely different," Dickerson said. "The way I run, the way I move, the quickness. ... I didn't lift any dumbbells. All my workouts were flexibility, range of motion -- the way I throw, the way I hit. I should have more range of motion, and that's really what I focused on."

EDGE Analysis

Dickerson smacked 24 homers and drove in 70 runs in 2016, his first season with the Rays, playing primarily DH and left field. While the round-trippers equaled a career high, Dickerson also whiffed 134 times, and sported an unsightly .293 OBP. His work this offseason was therefore largely geared toward bumping up his bat speed in order to make contact on a much more consistent basis. That approach already appears to be paying dividends according to the slugger's own observations. "Now my swing is quicker. The ball comes off the bat better with more range of motion. And the way I throw is different. I think it all benefitted me."