Phillies rotation finally coming together in surprising fashion
After a rough start to the year, the Phillies rotation is finally looking like the solid starting five that was promised before the season began.
Before the season started, the Phillies rotation looked to be one of the strengths of the team. Cy Young contender Aaron Nola and Nick Pivetta were predicted to lead the way. Early in the season, that was not the case at all.
Neither Nola nor Pivetta had any success early in the season, especially Pivetta. In four starts, Pivetta surrendered 18 runs in 18.1 innings. His walk rate jumped from 7.4% last year to 8.6% this while his strikeout rate dropped from 27.1% to 17.2%. That led to his demotion to Triple-A on April 17, a sign the team was not messing around.
Since Pivetta’s demotion, the starting rotation has turned a corner. In that time, they rank sixth in ERA (3.16) and fielding-independent pitching (3.57) and seventh in walks per nine innings (2.4) in left on base percentage (78.2%). It couldn’t have come at a better time given the offense’s recent struggles.
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If someone told you that Vince Velasquez would lead Phillies starters in ERA at the end of April, you wouldn’t believe them. Despite that, he leads the way with a 1.99 ERA in five appearances, one coming from the bullpen. He has not allowed more than two runs in any outing this year and has the lowest strikeout rate of his career.
Jerad Eickhoff has shined in replacement of Pivetta with a 2.12 ERA in three outings.
He pitched four innings of scoreless relief the night before Pivetta’s demotion, giving the club confidence they could replace him. Friday night, after an hour and a half rain delay, Eickhoff turned in seven shutout innings, walking one, striking out six, and giving up just two hits.
Zach Eflin started the year with two strong outings before a six-run, four-inning outing April 13. He still wasn’t too useful in his next two appearances but turned things around in a significant way Sunday afternoon. Eflin pitched the first nine-inning complete game for the team in over two years, the third of his career.
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Jake Arrieta also did well to start the year with just seven runs allowed in 28 innings over four starts. His last two have been less successful and include giving up five runs in five innings Saturday night. Still, his ERA for the season is 3.46 with 1.3 wins above replacement, tied for most on the team.
While Nola had his struggles, his ERA is starting to fall as he finds his stride on the mound. His outing Thursday night was the longest of the season so far, giving up just one run on seven hits and a walk in 6.2 innings. His ERA has already dropped by almost two hole runs, and we could finally be seeing a return to his former productive self.
Even Pivetta is showing signs of life in Triple-A. He struck out 14 batters in six innings Sunday night, meaning 14 of the 18 outs he recorded came via strikeouts. Re-channeling his swing-and-miss ability is enormous for finding success in the major leagues.
Next. Prospect Alec Bohm hitting bombs in minors. dark
All in all, the Phillies rotation is looking much better now than it did two weeks ago. It will have its ups and downs as the season goes on, but if they can minimize the downs, the team will be much more successful.