The Toronto Blue Jays have pitched surprisingly well this year, creating opportunities for an offence that hasn’t met expectations until recently.
Through 20 games the rotation has a 3.66 ERA (MLB average: 4.19) while the bullpen has a 3.25 ERA (MLB average: 3.68). In an interview Sunday, pitching coach Pete Walker offered insight on Aaron Sanchez’s sinker, Drew Storen’s velocity and J.A. Happ’s ability to get ground balls…
SANCHEZ MUST KEEP SINKER DOWN
When a ground ball pitcher can’t keep the ball down, he’s usually in for a long night.
That’s what happened for Sanchez Friday when he struggled against the Oakland Athletics. Instead of staying tall and delivering the ball on a downhill plane, he was getting under the ball, elevating pitches with less movement.
“It’s an adjustment that we can hopefully quickly fix and get him on top of the baseball and getting back to that good sinking action in the strike zone,” Walker said.
“Typically when he’s up in the zone the ball doesn’t have as much sink, not as much depth,” catcher Russell Martin added. “It was just one of those days where Aaron didn’t really have his A stuff.”
The sinker remains Sanchez’s go-to pitch, but Walker has been encouraged by his secondary offerings, particularly a change-up that’s slow enough to confuse hitters.
“I saw some 87s in there again,” Walker said. “I’m starting to see a bigger difference in velocity on the change-up. Over time that will come in handy.”
Sanchez fares much better against right-handed hitters, but he showed early on that he can retire hitters on both sides of the plate when that sinker’s working.
“Three out of four starts have been great,” Walker said. “One wasn’t so great.”
STOREN’S VELOCITY DOWN
Drew Storen’s average fastball velocity has dropped off from 94 mph last year to 92.3 mph. That’s a significant difference that opposing batters would welcome, but the Blue Jays aren’t going to overreact to eight games.
“We’re not really concerned with that right now,” Walker said. “He’s working his tail off to be the best pitcher he can be. I think it’s a matter of him commanding his sinker, his fastball a little better. His secondary stuff looks good. His change-up and slider look real effective and as his command gets better with his fastball, his results will be better and better.”
Storen pitched a clean inning Sunday, when his fastball sat in the 91-92 mph range. The right-hander has a 6.14 ERA with six strikeouts and one walk allowed in 7.1 innings.
KEY GROUNDERS FOR HAPP
J.A. Happ’s a fly ball pitcher, but Walker’s been impressed by the way the left-hander’s been able to escape jams with double play balls.
“He’s getting the ball on the ground at times in key situations,” Walker said. “He’s still able to elevate the fastball and get the weak contact, the weak fly balls, but he’s certainly getting some ground balls at key times, turning double plays.”
Walker also noted that Happ has used his secondary pitches while behind in count at times as a way of becoming less predictable.