2021 MLB season: week 8 round-up | The year of the pitcher
The 2021 MLB season is rounding out to be the new year of the pitcher and here is why.
Combined, hitters have a .237 AVG, which is tied with 1968 for the worst ever. The strikeout rate (24.1 K%) continues to increase. A new record has been set every year since 2008.
If velocity is an indicator of anything, it’s showing that pitchers are leaving it all out out there. The average fastball velocity is currently sitting at 93.8 mph, the highest ever recorded
They are also probably still using grip-aiding substances. According to Britt Giroldi and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic,
“Since the start of the Statcast era in 2015, the percentage of fastballs thrown with spin rates over 2400 RPM has nearly doubled, from 18 percent to 35 percent.”
‘What are we even doing here?’: Around baseball, players raise concerns about pitchers’ use of foreign substances
Increased velocity and pitch movement has put MLB on a record pace of HBP. Think about this: In the past 5 years, Anthony Rizzo has been plunked 100 times. That’s more than Adrian Beltre (97 HBP) got hit in his career.
Also, so far this season there have been six no-hitters. Two each against Seattle, Cleveland, and Texas The MLB Record is seven.
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WHO’S HOT OR NOT?
HOT
- Fernando Tatís Jr. has 15 hits in his last six games. According to Elias Sports Bureau, that makes him the Padres player ever with that many hits and home runs in a six-game span.
- The Tampa Bay Rays have won 11 out of their last 12 games. That positions them in first place in a competitive American League East.
- New York Yankees starters went on a historic streak last week. They tossed 5.0 scoreless innings in five consecutive starts for the first time in franchise history.
- Zack Wheeler has turned into a bonafide ace. In two starts last week, he posed an identical 0.63 ERA and WHIP. He struck out 22 batters combined in those starts.
NOT
- Luis Castillo’s struggles continue. In two starts last week, he posted an 0-2 record with a 7.20 ERA and a 1.796 WHIP. He leads the league in losses and has the worst ERA of any starter in baseball so far this season.
- Eugenio Suarez is having a terrible season. In his last 15 games, he’s hitting .172 with a .222 OBP. Though he continues to hit home runs, he is underperforming.
- Since Tony LaRussa threw Yermín Mercedes under the bus, the White Sox have gone 4-4, including a sweep by the New York Yankees.
- Francisco Lindor has not lived up to the hype so far this season. He’s hitting below the Mendoza Line with just three home runs in the season. He’s going to have to pick it up a little if he wants to win over Mets fans.
2021 MLB season rumors & rumblings
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