In evaluating Grayson Rodriguez’s quartet of begins within the majors since returning to the Orioles’ rotation, each the rookie right-hander himself and his supervisor in contrast them with those who got here earlier than.
“A lot better than the first set,” Rodriguez stated.
“Much improved over earlier in the year,” Brandon Hyde supplied.
If one took the 7.35 ERA the 23-year-old posted in his first 10 majors league outings throughout April and May and organized these digits within the supreme order, it could end in what Rodriguez has carried out since rejoining Baltimore final month. He has a 3.57 ERA in 4 begins, a determine that could possibly be improved upon if not for some troubles late in his outings. That consists of Wednesday evening’s begin in opposition to the Toronto Blue Jays, when he was one out from finishing the sixth for the second straight begin earlier than consecutive full-count walks ended his evening. Both runners ultimately scored off reliever Shintaro Fujinami.
Those ultimate two batters had been the one ones to attract free passes off Rodriguez on Wednesday, and he additionally solely gave up two hits. Since being referred to as again up from Triple-A Norfolk, Rodriguez, who ranked as Baltimore’s high pitching prospect earlier than graduating from that standing final month, has held opposing hitters to a .195 common — permitting no house runs after surrendering 13 in his first huge league stint — with a 20-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
“That’s a good lineup,” Rodriguez stated. “Whenever you can hold them to two hits, that’s a positive, so we’re going to keep working. We’re not where we want to be at yet. There were some pitches that were missed. So we’re just going to keep working, working on that command.”
Command of Rodriguez’s four-seam fastball was a selected focus whereas again with Norfolk. The pitch was hammered in May, a month that noticed him thrice enable a minimum of six runs whereas being unable to finish the fourth inning. In 5 outings, opponents went 21-for-42 (.500) off the pitch, with 11 of these hits going for additional bases.
Including Wednesday, opponents are 8-for-35 (.229) with just one extra-base hit off Rodriguez’s four-seamer since he’s returned to the majors. He’s notably elevated utilization of the pitch, as properly, going from about 45% in his first stint to 52.5% since his return. The providing accounted for 55 of his 96 pitches Wednesday.
“We had some success with the heater,” Rodriguez stated. “It’s building blocks. It’s just adding to the confidence a little bit.”
Rodriguez stated he and Norfolk pitching coach Justin Ramsey targeting the pitch throughout his time again in Triple-A, which noticed him put up a 1.69 ERA and 36.5% strikeout charge. Their efforts, Rodriguez stated, had been about “just being able to locate the fastball to each third of the plate, going up or down with it if we want to,” whereas additionally “ripping sliders out of the zone.”
Rodriguez has used that slider extra throughout this stretch relative to May, although it stays beneath the extent he used it in April, when he had a 4.07 ERA in his first 5 main league begins. He has considerably raised his utilization of his changeup, thought of his finest secondary weapon, whereas largely abandoning his cutter. That pitch accounted for nearly certainly one of each six pitches he threw in May and produced worse outcomes than his four-seamer, however he has used it solely eight occasions up to now 4 begins, based on Baseball Savant.
“Did a great job of going down and working on the things we asked him to,” Hyde stated.
As it did Wednesday, the sixth inning has offered Rodriguez with some troubles. He has accomplished that inning in solely certainly one of these 4 begins and thus in solely certainly one of his 14 total. Seven of the 9 runs scored off him since he was referred to as up have come within the sixth. Four of these scored after he exited the sport, with relievers unable to strand runners he left for them.
But by way of the primary 5 innings of his 4 begins, Rodriguez has a 0.90 ERA with 16 strikeouts in opposition to three walks over 20 innings. His strikeout charge has dipped barely from his first stint, however his ground-ball charge has jumped dramatically, an indication of inducing weaker contact.
He surpassed his profession excessive for innings even earlier than Wednesday, having thrown 109 1/3 frames between Baltimore and Norfolk. But he has crossed that threshold amid a strong run of main league begins, displaying the ace potential he lengthy has within the minors, and he believes extra steps ahead are to return.
“Whether it’s in the bullpen in between starts, being able to kind of compete with myself in that situation, and then come out, obviously, against a good lineup, pretty loud stadium, just kind of seeing how you stack up against the AL East, right now, it’s getting a little bit better,” Rodriguez stated. “But we’re not where we want to be yet.”
Orioles at Blue Jays
Thursday, 3:07 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
Mets at Orioles
Friday, 7:05 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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Source: www.bostonherald.com