by Team Del Genio
Thursday, Jul 06, 2023Blake Snell has become a poster child for being consistently inconsistent. For the third straight year, the left-hander has struggled early in the season only to right the ship and put up spectacular numbers in the second half of the season.
In 2021, the 30-year-old began the year by posting a 5.44 era and a 1.61 whip in his first nineteen starts. Snell then completed the season by registering a 1.83 era and a 0.76 whip in his last eight starts.
In 2022, Snell reverted back to that early form of the previous season by compiling a 5.22 era and a 1.48 whip in his first ten starts. Yet once again, Snell made adjustments and pitched to a 2.19 era and a 1.03 whip in his final fourteen starts. Snell's increased reliance on his slider was credited for much of the success in the second half of the year.
This year, Snell had a 5.04 era and a 1.56 whip in his first ten starts. The lefty then went in the opposite direction from last year by throwing his slider less. He struck out at least ten batters for the fourth straight time last Wednesday (June 28th) at Pittsburgh while allowing only two runs in six innings of work. Snell had not given up more than two earned runs in seven straight appearances. During that span of seven starts, Snell had a 0.86 era and a 0.83 whip while striking out 66 batters and only walking 15 in 42 innings.
Snell carried a 4-7 record with a 3.21 era and a 1.21 whip into his first start this month in a home game for San Diego against the Los Angeles Angels. He pitched five scoreless innings for the Padres to lead them to a 10-3 victory on Monday, July 3rd. The effort was his eighth straight start in which he did not give up more than two earned runs. While his double-digit strikeout streak ended with him punching out seven Angels' hitters, he continues to average more than a strikeout per inning during his latest midseason renaissance.
He is striking out 31.3% of the batters he has faced this season, making it the sixth straight season in which he has struck out at least 30.9% of the batters he has faced.
Snell's walk rate is an area of concern. He is issuing free passes in 11.9% of the batters he has faced this year. He walked four batters on Monday against the Angels, the most bases on balls he had given up in seven starts. He had only walked five batters in his previous three starts, and his 2.7 walks per nine inning rate in his last four appearances remains a significant improvement over his 4.5 walk rate per nine innings for the season.
The lefty carries a 5-7 record along with a 3.03 era and a 1.26 whip into an expected start at home against the New York Mets on Saturday, July 8th, in his final trip to the mound before the all-star break. He has struck out 121 batters and issued 46 walks in the 92 innings that consist of his seventeen starts this year. Yet bettors might be more successful focusing on his 0.77 era and 0.98 whip in his last eight starts since May 25th. He has a 4-1 record during this run while giving up only four earned runs. By striking out 73 batters in those 47 innings, he is averaging a remarkable 13.98 strikeouts per nine innings.
Snell can surely frustrate bettors early in the season counting on him to maintain his strong form from the previous year. Yet once the lefthander adjusts and trusts what is working for him, the inconsistent pitcher becomes very reliable.
Good luck - TDG.
In 2021, the 30-year-old began the year by posting a 5.44 era and a 1.61 whip in his first nineteen starts. Snell then completed the season by registering a 1.83 era and a 0.76 whip in his last eight starts.
In 2022, Snell reverted back to that early form of the previous season by compiling a 5.22 era and a 1.48 whip in his first ten starts. Yet once again, Snell made adjustments and pitched to a 2.19 era and a 1.03 whip in his final fourteen starts. Snell's increased reliance on his slider was credited for much of the success in the second half of the year.
This year, Snell had a 5.04 era and a 1.56 whip in his first ten starts. The lefty then went in the opposite direction from last year by throwing his slider less. He struck out at least ten batters for the fourth straight time last Wednesday (June 28th) at Pittsburgh while allowing only two runs in six innings of work. Snell had not given up more than two earned runs in seven straight appearances. During that span of seven starts, Snell had a 0.86 era and a 0.83 whip while striking out 66 batters and only walking 15 in 42 innings.
Snell carried a 4-7 record with a 3.21 era and a 1.21 whip into his first start this month in a home game for San Diego against the Los Angeles Angels. He pitched five scoreless innings for the Padres to lead them to a 10-3 victory on Monday, July 3rd. The effort was his eighth straight start in which he did not give up more than two earned runs. While his double-digit strikeout streak ended with him punching out seven Angels' hitters, he continues to average more than a strikeout per inning during his latest midseason renaissance.
He is striking out 31.3% of the batters he has faced this season, making it the sixth straight season in which he has struck out at least 30.9% of the batters he has faced.
Snell's walk rate is an area of concern. He is issuing free passes in 11.9% of the batters he has faced this year. He walked four batters on Monday against the Angels, the most bases on balls he had given up in seven starts. He had only walked five batters in his previous three starts, and his 2.7 walks per nine inning rate in his last four appearances remains a significant improvement over his 4.5 walk rate per nine innings for the season.
The lefty carries a 5-7 record along with a 3.03 era and a 1.26 whip into an expected start at home against the New York Mets on Saturday, July 8th, in his final trip to the mound before the all-star break. He has struck out 121 batters and issued 46 walks in the 92 innings that consist of his seventeen starts this year. Yet bettors might be more successful focusing on his 0.77 era and 0.98 whip in his last eight starts since May 25th. He has a 4-1 record during this run while giving up only four earned runs. By striking out 73 batters in those 47 innings, he is averaging a remarkable 13.98 strikeouts per nine innings.
Snell can surely frustrate bettors early in the season counting on him to maintain his strong form from the previous year. Yet once the lefthander adjusts and trusts what is working for him, the inconsistent pitcher becomes very reliable.
Good luck - TDG.
