Elmer RodrÃguez made his Major League debut earlier this season but struggled in four starts and was sent to Triple A. He was recalled to the Major League roster on August 26th and has made two starts since, bringing his season stats to 4.86 FIP, 17% K, and 13% BB in 26.2 IP. These starts…
Category: Player Reviews
Why Is Brayan Bello Struggling? Breaking Down His Changeup and Lefty Approach
Brayan Bello’s 3.91 ERA looks good on the surface, but a deeper dive tells a different story. In this video, we’ll explore two key reasons why he’s struggling. First, we’ll look at changes to his changeup’s shape and velocity, and how that affects the pitch’s effectiveness. Second, we’ll explore his approach against left-handed hitters, including…
What is contributing to Julio Rodriguez’s struggles at the plate?
Following two all-star seasons, Julio RodrÃguez is midway through 2024 with a disappointing .635 OPS and 7 home runs. According to Stathead on Baseball Reference, that OPS puts RodrÃguez at 56th out of 62 outfielders who have at least 250 PAs this season. In this post, we are going to explore what could be contributing…
Can Connor Wong Maintain His Success?
Red Sox catcher Connor Wong is amidst a breakout year at the plate. Per Stathead, Wong is leading catchers with at least 100 PA with a .857 OPS. One of the biggest and most impressive changes that Wong made is that his strikeout rate is down 15% and his contact on pitches in-zone is up…
Why is Yennier Canó’s Sinker so Much Better this Season? More Sink and Seam Shifted Wake
Yennier Canó has emerged as one of the most dominant relievers so far this season, with an elite 0.93 ERA, 1% walk rate, and 30% strikeout rate through 29 innings pitched. How has he been doing this? His revamped sinker is a huge part of it. If you prefer video breakdowns, check out this video:…
Three Things Josh Lowe is Doing Well, Plus Swing Breakdown
Former first rounder Josh Lowe’s first exposure to the Majors was underwhelming. In his debut season (2022) Lowe had a below average OPS of .627 and poor strikeout rate of 33%. He wasn’t able to transfer his above average raw power to the game, with only a 5% barrel rate. However, he’s off to a…
Checking in on Jack Suwinski After He Made Tweaks to his Swing During Spring Training
When I saw how well Pirates’ Jack Suwinski has been doing (.873 OPS in 112 PA) the first thing I checked was his average launch angle, which is up significantly this season so far (six degrees). This doesn’t really mean anything yet in terms of trends because of how early in the season it is,…
Why I’m Hesitant About Brent Rooker’s Success
Oakland Athletics’ Brent Rooker is having the best season of his career so far, leading baseball with a 1.126 OPS through 113 PA. This success is following the Kansas City Royals decision to designate Rooker for assignment following the 2022 season. The Athletics are Rooker’s fourth team since his promotion to the big leagues in…
Oakland A’s Mason Miller Pitcher Breakdown
Oakland’s top pitching prospect Mason Miller is through three starts at the Major League level. In his most recent outing, Miller no-hit the Seattle Mariners through 7 innings before being removed from the game due to pitch count. In this post, we’ll look at how Miller has done so far, what he offers, and his…
The Swing Changes Behind Jarred Kelenic’s Breakout
For former first round pick Jarred Kelenic, it’s only been a matter of time before something clicked and he started producing offensively. It seems like after two rough seasons in the Majors, 2023 is the year Kelenic will produce. He is starting strong with a 1.044 OPS on the year and an xSLG of .688,…