Indians try to end Gomes' slump with 'sacrifice' to Jobu

Yan Gomes' bats are sick.

The Cleveland Indians catcher, a former Silver Slugger winner, is hitting .163/.198/.310 this year, and he's just 1-for-33 in July. He can't hit curveball or straight ball right now.

So his teammates decided to help him out and appeal to the most holiest of baseball Gods for help. That God, of course, would be the great Jobu.

Jason Kipnis documented the proceedings on Instagram, which began with the catcher, draped in white, kneeling before an "altar" in the clubhouse as his cape-wearing teammates used noisemakers.

Mike Napoli, serving as the preacher, read a prayer to the favored God of fictional Indians masher Pedro Cerrano that praised Jobu and hopefully blessed Gomes with a restored hitting ability.

The ceremony ended with Gomes "sacrificing" a chicken - that was purchased from Target, Kipnis said - to hopefully appease the baseball God.

Following the chicken, Gomes took a swing at a pinata for what Indians players told reporters was his "first hard contact" since being blessed.

Hopefully Jobu will come through for Gomes so that, unlike Cerrano, he won't have to fix the issues himself. After that ceremony, we're thinking it will all work out for Gomes going forward - that is, unless one of his teammates tried to steal Jobu's rum.