HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- Entering his start against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday afternoon, opposing hitters had put 75 balls in play against Framber Valdez through his first five starts of 2022, according to StatCast, none have been barreled.
"That's not a good stat if you're the hitter," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. "That's why I don't look at those things. That would start out my day in a really bad place."
Hinch managed Valdez when he was trying to find his way in the big leagues and on Saturday he'll face a very different pitcher than the one he saw in 2018 and 2019.
"He has grown up quite a bit in a lot of areas," Hinch said. "His confidence on the mound was always good. I think the execution on the mound has matched the confidence."
Valdez compiled a 2.19 ERA when he was called up for the last six weeks of the 2018 season, but he walked 15.6 percent of the hitters he faced. His walk rate dropped to 13.4 percent the next season, but his ERA shot up to 5.86. He's walked fewer hitters in the two-plus season since, but now his ERA is falling as well.
"He's realized that his stuff over the plate is good enough and it can initiate soft contact. He's gotten some swing and miss with his breaking ball."
The Astros lefty will take the mound on Saturday with a 3.42 ERA this season, which is in line with his mark the last two, but he's had to do it differently. Opponents are swinging and missing at his curveball 32.7 percent of the time, down from the last three seasons when the whiff rate on that pitch was no lower than 41.9 percent, but he has figured out a way to get outs when his best pitch hasn't been its best.
"He is fearless when it comes to pitching to contact," Hinch said. "He's got a good defense behind him, so it's tough on the other side, but from someone who was there at the beginning of his career and watching him struggle with command and not really trusting his stuff over the plate, I like when players mature and grow and demonstrate development at this level."
