That Balls Outta Here
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Phillies: Who’re the odd-men out of the starting rotation?

By George Stockburger

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 28: Pitcher Jerad Eickhoff #48 of the Philadelphia Phillies delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning of a game at Citizens Bank Park on September 28, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves won 10-2. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 28: Pitcher Jerad Eickhoff #48 of the Philadelphia Phillies delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning of a game at Citizens Bank Park on September 28, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves won 10-2. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 16: Pitcher Nick Pivetta #43 of the Philadelphia Phillies delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning of a game at Citizens Bank Park on September 16, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 16: Pitcher Nick Pivetta #43 of the Philadelphia Phillies delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning of a game at Citizens Bank Park on September 16, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

Nick Pivetta

Pivetta was filthy at times last year and he finished the season with a 2.3 WAR, the fourth-highest on the Phillies behind Nola, Arrieta, and Dominguez.

In his second full season with the big league club Pivetta posted career-bests across the board with the exception of wins, falling one short with just seven. Like the rest of the back of the rotation, Pivetta was hot and cold throughout the year.

Pivetta posted four consecutive starts in April where he pitched at least five innings and allowed two runs or less. In his first 11 starts, he had 9 games where he allowed three runs or fewer, the other two games being back-to-back starts against division opponents.

After keeping a respectable 3.26 ERA through May Pivetta hit a horrendous June with a 7.71 ERA. His only quality start that month was a 13 strikeout game against St. Louis, which was followed two starts later by a seven-run game where he couldn’t escape the second inning.

Pivetta finished the season with a 4.77 ERA, but he nearly had 200 strikeouts, finishing fifth in the National League with a 10.317 K/9, the third-best single-season rate in Phillies history behind Curt Schilling in 1997 and Vince Velasquez in 2016.

Last year Pivetta finished tied for sixth among all starters in pitches per plate appearace at 4.10

In a recent poll we conducted on Twitter asking which pitcher outside of Nola and Arrieta should be a lock, Pivetta was the clear favorite with a 14 point lead. That being said I think he makes the rotation but isn’t a lock beyond next year.

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