Spencer Turnbull, Detroit Tigers
A rebuilding club like the Tigers needs one or two great stories to follow, and Turnbull definitely fits the mold. After debuting last year and compiling a 6.06 ERA in 16.1 innings, that number has gone down to 2.68 in 53.2 frames.
Although the sample sizes are very uneven, the right-hander’s slider usage has gone up significantly (12.7% to 19.5%), while his curveball usage has taken just as significant of a drop (18.0% to 12.5%). That makes a lot of sense after seeing how each of these pitches performed in 2018 and so far in 2019.
During his cup of coffee in the big leagues, he tossed his slider just 29 times, but it yielded a 75.0% strikeout rate and -100 wRC+ from opposing hitters. He threw his curveball 51 times and it yielded a 12.5% strikeout rate with a 119 wRC+ allowed. It’s been more of the same story this year, even with the change in usage.
Turnbull has produced a 37.0% strikeout rate with his curveball, but the opponent wRC+ is still up at 82. He’s produced a 51.0% strikeout rate with that slider, which has led to a 4 wRC+.
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