A stable 2024 season with ERA

Last season, in his sixth year as a pro, pitcher Sora Suzuki supported the team as a setup man, recording 24 hold, more than the previous year. He set a new club record by pitching 28 consecutive runs games and posting ERA of 1.66, demonstrating outstanding pitching stability throughout the season. In this article, we will look at the data that helped pitcher achieve such good results.

Developing into a reliever who can closer both left and right-handed pitchers

Since 2022, when he established himself in the first team, pitcher has continued to perform well against left-handed hitter, but struggled somewhat against right-handed hitter, Avg of .273 in 2023 and a higher walk rate than against left BB. However, he overcame these challenges last season, recording impressive numbers of a single-digit Avg against both left-handed and right-handed batters, and zero Home Run runs allowed against 186 hitter.

His pitch, which is his main fastball, has improved.

Here are two factors that have contributed to the improvement of closer on both sides. The first is the improvement of fastball, which accounts for about 64% of all pitch. In 2023, the strike rate was 61.5%, about 4 points below the league average, but last season it quickly improved to 69.0%, a level better than average. pitch The ability to get strike consistently with a straight ball, which is the axis of the pitcher advantageous count, is thought to have made it easier to create , leading to an overall improvement in performance.

His new pitch, fork, is effective against right-handed hitter

The second is the introduction of a new pitch to shut down right-handed hitter. In the offseason of 2011, pitcher said, "I think the world will change if I can create one more pitch that right-handed hitter find annoying." In 2011, he threw a two-seam two seam fastball second most often after fastball, but last season he replaced it with fork.

The two-seam two seam fastball, which has a small change of pace to force fork to hit the ball, and the forkball, which has a large change of pace to induce a strikeout, are used differently. Looking at the distribution of pitch paths, in 2011, the two-seam two seam fastball was evenly thrown from the outside to the inside of right-handed hitter, but Avg against him was a disappointing .353 overall. On the other hand, last season's fork was firmly focused on paths far from hitter, and was particularly effective on the outside, with only one hit in 12 At Bat. By combining the improved quality of his fastball and slider that hits the inside, it can be said that the ease of putting together pitch to right-handed hitter has changed dramatically.

Suzuki pitcher joined the first team towards the end of spring training and seems to be in perfect condition, having not closer runs in four exhibition games. This season, he will continue to work at full speed to lead bullpen and pass on the baton of win.

*All figures in the text and table are as of the end of the 2024 season.

Text and Data Stadium