NEW YORK -- Brewers outfielder Lorenzo Cain understands why he is on the bench these days; he is not producing in the batter’s box. 

Entering Tuesday’s action against the Mets, Cain is hitting .168 with a homer, eight RBIs and an OPS of .449. He will be the first to tell you that his swing hasn’t been consistent. He hasn’t been able to drive the ball with the lower part of his body like he used to. When he is using just his hands, his swing causes a lot of weak ground balls.

When he's at his best, Cain was known to hit close to .300 and score a lot of runs. He says he understands why players like Hunter Renfroe and Tyrone Taylor are playing ahead of him. As Cain put it, “We are in the business of winning.”

“[The swing] has been a lot harder to find than it has been in my previous years,” Cain said. “We are still trying to get in that cage, get out there and work. I’m not a full-time player anymore. … When my number is called, I want to go out there and contribute to this team. You definitely want to be part of something special.”

Cain, who is a free agent after this season, said he has been blessed to have a great career. During his 13 years in the big leagues, Cain is a two-time All-Star, won his only Gold Glove in 2019 and helped the Royals win the World Series title in 2015. 

“Normally, veterans don’t take it as well as I might,” Cain said about his benching. “These guys can play here. That’s what it boils down to. I haven’t been getting it done. Why not let the guys go out there that’s getting the job done? I care about winning just as much as anybody else. If that’s how we can win. That’s what we need to put in the lineup.”