Stop the presses! Come to find out, throwing strikes can be a good thing. Yes, it’s not always the absolute truth because the quality of the batted ball contact matters, and sometimes throwing strikes means you’re giving hitters more hittable pitches. Not all strikes are equal. But generally, it’s a good trait to have for any pitching staff.
If you’ve watched the Astros this season, then you’re already well aware of this team’s pitching issues. They did bring back former pitching coach Brent Strom as a consultant for a reason, although we can certainly debate how much change even he can realistically make at this point of the season. But throwing strikes has been a problem for most of the season for Houston pitchers. Take a gander at some of the numbers below. For context, the league average strike rate is 63.6%.
On a quick side note, I do find it somewhat ironic how Miguel Ullola has a 67% strike rate compared to Ethan Pecko’s 55.6%. A small sample warning applies here, yet I do find it interesting how Ullola was known for his command issues in the minors compared to Pecko’s reputation for the opposite.
It is worth pointing out how most of the pitchers toward the bottom of the table are largely out of the picture. Colton Gordon, J.P. France, Spencer Arrighetti, Lance McCullers Jr., Jayden Murray, and Nate Pearson are no longer with the organization. Others are in the minors with little opportunity in front of them, barring injuries. The Astros are trying to avoid triggering Tatsuya Imai’s $3 million incentive tied to innings pitched. Only Bryan Abreu and possibly Pecko are regulars for the rest of the season.
It was a gradual weeding-out process, but within this roster churn, the pitching staff improved its strike rate in August.
Although the organization didn’t do anything to address a pitching staff thin on depth and quality during the trade deadline, the improved strike throwing has played a role in this staff being roughly in the middle of the pack in August. Of course, the rotation is still pitching like a bottom-ten staff with a bullpen performing like a top-ten unit. As you can tell from the table earlier, most of the pitchers atop the team’s strike rate are relievers. Frankly, the bullpen is doing some heavy lifting this season, and I wonder how long that group can keep up this pace. But overall, this is one slightly hopeful trend from August.
Also, what the heck in Tampa?!
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But as I stated earlier, not all strikes are equal. I have an ominous feeling Bennett Sousa might prove that point, as his recent outings have been far from encouraging, and he is opening the game this afternoon. He also throws strikes around 67% of the time.
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Who are we pitching tomorrow? Pecko again. Strike % is terrible. And if you look at % of pitches he actually threw to zone, it’s only 36.7%.
If it’s not Pecko tomorrow, then who? Two bullpen games in a row would cripple a team that doesn’t have an off day until Monday 9/7
The fact that they’re having a bullpen game when their closest off day is 9 days away says a lot about what they think of their starting pitching options
Aside from Brown, Lambert, and Wesneski, we really don’t have any starters on the team. Just bullpen guys in various states of stretched-outed-ness.
Managing pitching chaos and relying heavily on our 1-2-3 actual starters is the only thing that can save the Astros going forward. Kinda glad there are only four weeks of games left in the regular season, especially if we can maintain the division lead.
Yeah but even with an extra pitcher coming sept 1, it’s just not sustainable to go lambert, Wes, brown, bullpen, bullpen, repeat.
You’re gonna have to throw Imai or burrows back in there. But I really think Imai is being held back so he doesn’t reach innings
Totally agree it is unsustainable.
I expect Burrows to return at some point. Probably on September 1st. But even if he does, it’s just not realistic to never use Imai unless 75% of the other pitchers are nails for the remainder of the season.
Also even though we need to throw SOMEBODY out as a starting pitcher, even though it’s only been 2 starts, I don’t think it’s Pecko. Maybe it’s SSS but we don’t have the time or luxury to find out. Fill out the back end (4, 5) with Imai and burrows, maybe Javier if you let Teng open for him, and just keep them on a 2 times through the order leash.
Yeah. I think Pecko could be a part of our rotation next year but I don’t see him as viable for the remainder of this one. I really don’t think putting Mayer into a pressure cooker is the answer either.
If they back themselves into too tight of a corner they HAVE to use Imai.
Gambling your season near its end- or the health of your other pitchers- because you don’t want to pay a rookie pitcher a $1-3m bonus, when you are already under the CBT, is a very, very bad look.
Ohhhhhhhh here we go!!!!!!