Jake Irvin 2024 - Sweatin' out his starts

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/03/19/jake-irvin-pitcher-sweat-nationals/

For Irving, the low point last season came in St. Louis.

“In between every inning, I was trying to switch jerseys,” Irvin said. “I had to switch pants. I was going through it big time. And then when I was out on the mound, I had a couple innings where there were high-pitch innings and I just remember sweat dripping from my hand as I’m holding the ball. I’m like, ‘man, I’m throwing a sweaty ball.’ ”

Martinez, who said right-hander Stephen Strasburg dealt with the same problem and frequently swapped out his jerseys, talked with Irvin last year about applying rosin properly during the game so he could get a better grip on the ball. Irvin, who also worked with Washington’s training staff, uses a prescription strength antiperspirant that he started putting on his arms to close up his pores and prevent sweat from getting to his fingers. From there, he made sure to properly hydrate on gamedays.

...

A year of experience should help Irvin get adjusted to the summer months and build on what was a strong second half — he had a 3.76 ERA in his first ten starts after the all-star break before two lackluster starts to end his season.

Article discusses faults in 2023 - HR rate of 1.5 per start, (nearly 2 per 9), 4 BBs /9, and his difficulties with lefties (they hit .274, .366 wOBA - .496 SLG vs. .352 vs righties). Adding a cutter to help with lefties.

It will be interesting to see if he can handle lefties this year and drop the BB rate. Otherwise, he looks like a bullpen arm.

[Senatorswin]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/03/19/jake-irvin-pitcher-sweat-nationals/

Article discusses faults in 2023 - HR rate of 1.5 per start, (nearly 2 per 9), 4 BBs /9, and his difficulties with lefties (they hit .274, .366 wOBA - .496 SLG vs. .352 vs righties). Adding a cutter to help with lefties.

It will be interesting to see if he can handle lefties this year and drop the BB rate. Otherwise, he looks like a bullpen arm.

It was obvious last year Jake needed a third pitch. He had a really nice curve and a passable fastball but nothing other than that. I think a good third pitch will help him a lot.

[Senatorswin]

Jake is Steve Stone.

[imref]

For Irving, the low point last season came in St. Louis.

Sigh...

[Slateman]

Why are all our pitchers just sweaty dudes

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Why are all our pitchers just sweaty dudes

JZ didn't sweat and he was from the land of the ice and snow.

It was obvious last year Jake needed a third pitch. He had a really nice curve and a passable fastball but nothing other than that. I think a good third pitch will help him a lot.

FWIW, the FG scouting report had his slider as his best pitch. I think what they are calling a slider is what you are seeing as a curve. Fastball was just average (50), while his changeup was behind his fastball.

[Senatorswin]

"FWIW, the FG scouting report had his slider as his best pitch. I think what they are calling a slider is what you are seeing as a curve. Fastball was just average (50), while his changeup was behind his fastball."

According to Baseball Savant in 2023 Irvin threw:

Fastball - 65%
Curve - 30%
Changeup - 5%

[JCA-CrystalCity]

"FWIW, the FG scouting report had his slider as his best pitch. I think what they are calling a slider is what you are seeing as a curve. Fastball was just average (50), while his changeup was behind his fastball."

According to Baseball Savant in 2023 Irvin threw:

Fastball - 65%
Curve - 30%
Changeup - 5%

That seems right. The curve has some sweeper motion, so maybe that's where the slider label came from. I'd be curious about whether he's given up on developing the change and just concentrating on the cutter.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Golden's game recap from the LAD shutout focuses on the development and use of Irvin's fastball. Starts by discussing his last AB against Will Smith.

It was the sixth pitch of the at-bat. The Washington Nationals right-hander had thrown five four-seamers in a row. For his sixth pitch, he didn’t deviate from the plan: He fired a fastball by Smith, notching his sixth strikeout in the Nationals’ 2-0 victory, which sealed a series win against one of the best teams in the majors.
...
Irvin didn’t miss many bats as a rookie last season — his whiff percentage was 17.8, which he has raised to 21.6 this year. (The major league average is 24.8 percent.) He was at 28.2 percent Wednesday, and with his fastball, he got nine whiffs on 24 swings (37.5 percent).

“He was using his fastball both in and out, attacking the zone,” Manager Dave Martinez said. “When he needed to throw a breaking ball, he did, but his fastball was electric.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/04/17/jake-irvin-nationals-dodgers-road-trip/