“Fastballs not getting to the location where they can’t hit it,” Hader said. After Vázquez fouled off one full-count fastball on the outside corner of the plate Sunday, Hader said he tried to go up and in with the next. He left it lower and in the middle of the zone, though. And Vázquez, who entered the game hitting .196 with three home runs this season, pulled it 362 feet over the wall in left field. “I’m just not executing at the top of the zone,” Hader said. “I’m sure if you look at it last year, I was able to execute at the top of the zone a lot more often than I was this year. I’m more in the zone this year, which gives the hitters a chance to hit that inner-half fastball.” Three of the first four home runs Hader allowed this season were on non-fastballs. Each of the last four are against fastballs that were not elevated. Colorado’s Michael Toglia hit a low and inside fastball for a homer June 25 in Houston. Toronto’s Ernie Clement hit a fastball out and over the plate. Hader pointed to Carlos Correa’s grand slam on Friday at Target Field as an exception. To Correa, Hader threw a 1-1 fastball at 97.1 mph that arrived off the inside corner. Correa pulled it 364 feet and just over the wall, driving in three runners Hader had inherited. “Carlos, you just tip your cap,” Hader said. According to Baseball Savant pitch zone tracking, Hader had allowed a .137 average and induced a 39.4% whiff rate this season on pitches in the upper third of the strike zone, up and in or up and away, entering Sunday. Correa’s was the lone home run Hader had allowed in those zones. Opponents were batting .239 with a 38.6% whiff rate and six home runs on pitches anywhere else. The home-run uptick has compromised slightly what, after a rocky start, has come to resemble more of a typical Hader season. Hader carried a 39.4% strikeout rate into Sunday, third-highest among relievers with at least 30 innings in the majors. His 39% whiff rate is up from 33.1% last season and his 7.1% walk rate nearly halved from 13% last year. Over his previous 20 innings before the June 25 appearance against the Rockies, Hader faced 75 batters, allowed 11 hits, walked three and struck out 30. His ERA in that stretch was 1.80 and he converted eight save chances. Sunday was not a save opportunity, as Hader entered a tied game, and he remains 15-for-16 in those chances. Still, he emerged from the outing with a 4.15 ERA. Despite struggling early in the season to command his slider, Hader has held hitters to a .156 average on that pitch with a 53.6% whiff rate. He said there are “a lot of variables” to executing better at the top of the zone with his fastball but offered a simplified solution. “Just getting it there, really,” Hader said.
Fatigue seems the most simple answer. Pitchers lack control more than velocity when they're "tired". Remove Josh's 2nb2b performances and 2 appearances in 3 days (this includes 3x in 4 days) and he's probably a <2.00 ERA pitcher this season. It's sad he seems so fragile when considering his salary, but it might just be 'is what it is'. This was already somewhat a problem before Houston. Espada needs to maximize his bullpen by throwing guys like Martinez, Scott, Dubin (maybe) two innings more often. Eat some damn innings so leverage guys avoid an extra 1-2 games/week. Another factor is the damn injuries to the rotation. The lack of starters has the entire staff in "fumes" territory.
The last 105 times the Seattle Mariners led by as many as 3 runs going to the 7th inning they had not lost. That streak ended today. Springer and Stanek simultaneously helping the Astros was a bit surreal.
White Male Fans always start the BS. NY, Boston, Philadelphia, Minnesota. I think you are delusional not identtifying Race.
This has become his "Pena has to bat 2nd but don't ask me why!" of 2024. Ironically Espada has "improved" said record the last few games.... simply because the bullpen has been awful and turned a greater than 2 run lead into a 1 or 2 run game. There's also been handful of games recently where he'll post this stat (when its close), and then the team explodes.... and the stat is again rendered useless.
"Vázquez, who entered the game hitting .196 with three home runs this season, pulled it 362 feet over the wall in left field."
Astros caught the Twins at the wrong time. Lee, Miranda, and Vasquez were ultra white hot. Easily win the series imo had they had Tucker, Altuve, Alvarez for all the games. On to the next. Focus is the division and division only.
