Marcus Stroman expects to have a deeper arsenal of pitches in 2015.
The Toronto Blue Jays pitcher discussed the status of his improving slider in an appearance on Dean Blundell & Co. Friday morning.
“I started throwing the sinker midway through last year,” Stroman said Friday on Sportsnet 590 The Fan. “I’m still playing through that pitch and getting it where it needs to be. The change-up is always a big emphasis. Between that and the other four or five pitches I throw, I should have a decent arsenal this year.”
Listen: Stroman on Dean Blundell & Co.
The 23-year-old right-hander can throw six different pitches: four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, curveball, cutter, and a change-up.
“I don’t think [hitters] necessarily say, `I’m going to sit on this pitch,’” he told ESPN.com earlier this week. “I feel like if I do that, I have enough pitches where I can mix it up.
“If they start to sit on my sinker, I feel very confident in my four-seam fastball, where I can locate that in. If they start looking for that sinker, I can ride [the four-seamer] through the zone.”
In his Stroman’s rookie campaign with the Blue Jays, the New York native went 11-6 with a 3.65 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and a 111-to-28 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
He’ll be a key cog in Toronto’s rotation this season.
