July MLB Pitchers Report
By Marc Lawrence
Fireworks and the MLB All-Star game signal the month of July. It also signifies the start of the 2nd half of the MLB campaign. The key to each and every team’s fortune lies on the pitching staff. Can they sustain or will they unravel like a cheap suit? Stay tuned. What we do know is certain pitchers love hurling this time of the season while others tend to get lit up like a roman candle on the 4th of July.
Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team-starts over the course of the last three seasons during the month of April. On the flip side, we’ve also listed pitchers that struggle in April, winning 33% percent or less of their team-start efforts. To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each April over the last three years. And for your convenience alongside each record we break down each pitcher’s greatest success or greatest failure rate either home (H) or away (A) within his good or bad month.
Note: ** designates a categorical repeat appearance by this pitcher, maintaining status quo from last season’s April list.
GOOD MONTH PITCHERS
Chen, Wei-Yin – 10-3 (5-1 H)
The Orioles Chen is having another solid season as his 2.90 ERA indicates he’s just not gotten a lot run support which is explains his 3-4 record. Very good life on a low to mid 90’s fastball and if the Baltimore bats stay hot, the wins will come for Chen.
Colon, Bartolo – 11-5 (5-0 A)
Hard to believe the rolly-polly 42-year old right-hander is still around in the big leagues and still throwing 80 percent fastballs at his age. Though he still has a winning record, Colon ‘s ERA is almost five and opposing teams are hitting .282 against him. Let’s see if he has a typical July for him as his numbers are beginning to slip.
Fister, Doug – 12-3 (5-1 H)
Started the season poorly, got injured and is working his way back. You know Fister is on his game when there are a lot of ground ball outs or lazy fly balls. Has to keep top of hand on top of the ball to get the sinking action he needs.
Hellickson, Jeremy – 8-4 (4-1 A)
Really nothing more than a back of the rotation pitcher with ordinary stuff. Hellickson can put together two or three quality starts than get hit like a stalled car on the tracks with a train coming. Not sure he will have same success this month going from Tampa Bay to Arizona.
Hernandez, Felix – 11-5 (5-2 A)
After a sensational first two months, King Felix saw his ERA jump from 1.91 in late May to 3.24 on June 22. He only had 21 strikeouts in that five starts stretch and allowed nine or more fly balls on three different occasions, very unusual for Hernandez. Still opposing hitters are only batting .204 against and chances are he will return to being the King.
**Hudson, Tim – 11-4 (7-1 A)
Another elder statesman who turns 39 this month, Hudson enjoyed a long and great career. No question he’s at the end of the line with opposing hitters batting .291 against vs. .251 lifetime but still capable of quality starts and keeping San Francisco in games when he takes the ball.
**Kershaw, Clayton – 13-4 (7-2 A)
As July commences, Kershaw will be working a three-game losing for the first time in his career. Nothing physically wrong with the three-time Cy Young winner, just pitching into bad luck and making a mistake or two a game which we are not used to seeing. However, there is no doubt he could be unbeatable this month like in the past.
Liriano Francisco – 10-5 (5-2 H)
Despite a below .500 record, the Pirates lefty has held opposing hitters to .189 and his WHIP is 1.01. All Liriano needs is a few more runs from his Pittsburgh teammates and his three-pitch arsenal will start adding up to more victories.
Lohse, Kyle – 12-5 (8-1 H)
The Milwaukee right-hander season has mirrored that of his Brewers teammates with a 4-9 record and 6.28 ERA. Besides allowing well over a hit an inning, Lohse has given up almost as many home runs as walks permitted (19 vs.20) this campaign. No sure Lohse will duplicate past success.
**Porcello, Rick – 9-4 (6-1 H)
Almost every off-season signing has backfired for Boston including bringing in Porcello. His sorry 4-8 record is well-deserved as his 5.54 ERA indicates. Enemy hitters are getting great cuts and knocking him around for a .286 batting average. Like Lohse, Porcello has one of the worst ERA’s among hurlers with 10 or more starts. Can he turn it around?
Price, David – 12-4 (7-1 A)
Though he does not win every time, it has to make any manager very comfortable to be handing the ball to Price every five games. Expertly commands two and four-seam fastballs and can strikeout anybody with his a couple of hard-breaking curves or changeups. Has almost a 5-to-1 K/W ratio and fun to watch as a maestro.
Samardzija, Jeff – 10-5 (5-2 H)
After a strong season a year ago, has returned to prior form of most of his career on the other side of Chicago. He’s not fooling anybody with a .286 BA allowed and he’s on pace to surrender 27 homers. Needs big July to help the White Sox.
Scherzer, Max – 11-4 (6-2 H)
The best pitcher in baseball in 2015 thus far with a minuscule 1.79 ERA and WHIP you need reading glasses to find at 0.79. In 110 1/3 innings he fanned 130 and walked 14 (not a misprint), with one hit batter that prevented perfect game. Walks around the mound like he’s king of the jungle… and he is.
**Tillman, Chris – 10-5 (5-1 H)
It has not been an easy campaign for the Baltimore hurler with a losing record, with an ERA over 5.50 the first three months of the season and a wayward WHIP of 1.51. The top four hitters on the opposing teams lineup card have .375 OBP against Tillman. He will have to regain confidence to match past numbers this month.
Volquez, Edinson – 10-5 (6-2 A)
Having a good year with the defending AL champion Royals at 8-4 with a 3.18 ERA and doing splendid work controlling lefty batters who are at just .210 against Volquez. Should continue with another stellar July.
BAD MONTH PITCHERS
Hammel, Jason – 2-11 (0-4 H)
Not many pitchers actively want to pitch in Wrigley Field and for the Chicago Cubs, but Hammel is a rare exception. The Greenville, SC native might have stunk it up for other teams with a below .500 record and 4.46 ERA, but Hammel is 5-3 with 2.92 ERA on the north side of Chi-Town this season. Will his turnaround continue?
Haren, Dan – 3-8 (0-6 A)
Having a much stronger year than anticipated with a 3.38 ERA and WHIP of 1.01. Haren was about ready to retire but decided to give one more shot, but has not won in four starts with poor run support and not being as effective as he was the first two months. On a lousy team without Giancarlo Stanton, Haren might be in line for another miserable month.
Keuchel, Dallas – 4-10 (1-4 H)
Be all appearances, the Astros ace might be doing a 180-degree turn based on previous July’s. Now extremely confident in his abilities, the Houston lefty has a .194 BA conceded and a WHIP under one (0.96). Why opposing managers even have a left-handed bat in the lineup is a mystery since they are hitting a feeble .136 against Keuchel.
**Norris, Bud – 2-11 (1-6 A)
Though Baltimore has blossomed to take over first place in the AL East, Norris has not been a part of their turnaround. The right-hander’s ERA is ‘down’ to around 7.00 and his WHIP of 1.61 explains how hittable he’s been, plus walking other batters. Looks like ‘Play Against’ material until further notice.
Strasburg, Stephen – 5-12 (2-8 H)
Strasburg was a wreck, but maybe the time on the DL has straightened out his arm, body and head. In his last two starts of June, Strasburg had 15 strikeouts and just eight hits allowed in 12 innings. Do not imagine baseball bettors are willing to compare him to teammate Scherzer yet, and will take a wait and see attitude on the 26-year old.
