Game 27, Angels at Mariners
Chris Flexen Vs. Andrew Heaney, 7:10pm
After a taut 1-0 win to end their road trip, the M’s return home to face the Angels. Salvaging a game in that Houston series was important, and two scoreless IP by the bullpen in some high leverage spots help put the previous game’s ‘pen implosion behind them. And just as importantly, they kick off this series behind the guy who’s become the team’s de facto ace, Chris Flexen.
With Marco on the IL and with Justin Dunn and Yusei Kikuchi intriguing but still perhaps a bit inconsistent, Flexen’s becoming a linch pin in the rotation. Unlike with Dunn, there’s no bizarre BABIP thing to muse over (Flexen’s BABIP is freakishly *high*), so it’s really been down to his ability to limit walks and HRs. In his two most recent starts covering 13 IP, he’s struck out 10, and walked only one. He’s only allowed a single dinger on the year, and while his HR/FB ratio will regress over time, it’s nice to see that he’s posting an above-average GB%. Tough to know what to make of that in the season’s first month, but I wouldn’t have predicted that given his arm slot.
There’s nothing crazy to Flexen by pitch movement, velocity, spin, etc. He seems pretty close to average. But he really does seem to be a very different pitcher than the one who flamed out with the Mets. I’m never quite sure *how* a guy like Flexen (or Eric Thames, for that matter) reinvents themselves in the KBO, but it probably highlights just how important confidence can be for players.
Andrew Heaney takes the mound for Anaheim, and the veteran lefty is off to a solid start, striking out 29 in his first 20 2/3 IP. The key to his arsenal is a good change-up that’s become something of an out-pitch for him; it’s really helped him become a strikeout pitcher, as opposed to the pitch-to-contact guy he was at times in his first year or two. With his lower arm slot, Heaney really maximizes horizontal run on his pitches, including his fastball (which has average-ish velo). That fastball’s been excellent in the early-going, as has his slurvy curveball, an important pitch for him against lefties as well as righties (the change is essentially only for righties). He’s had normal platoon splits for his career, though they’re more even this year. Still figures to be a decent match-up for the returning Mitch Haniger and Ty France.
1: Haniger, RF
2: France, 1B
3: Seager, 3B
4: Lewis, CF
5: Torrens, C
6: Moore, 2B
7: Haggerty, LF
8: Crawford, SS
9: Murphy, DH
SP: Flexen
Haniger’s quick return makes you wonder if he was out with vaccine side-effects. If so, good on ya, Mitch. Today’s Tigers-Yankees game is the first one between teams that have both reached MLB’s 85% threshold of vaccination, meaning no one has to wear masks in the dugout. The M’s aren’t there, and from what Ryan Divish has reported, likely won’t get to that mark, at least not soon.
MLB released some very cool park factor data over at baseballsavant.com. I don’t think anything’s completely mind-blowing from poking around at the data for a while; T-Mobile is a pitcher’s park, with more neutral HR factors, but very low 2B/3B factors, and increases in strikeouts.
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Nice to see Moore abd Murphy come alive last night. I fell asleep near the end of the 8th, and I knew Montero was getting the ball, but I didn’t actually have any nightmares.