Alzolay has had an up-and-down rookie season, but continues to show flashes of Saturday’s 4-0 loss to the White Sox, allowing two runs over 6 2/3 innings.
When the Cubs are contending for a spot in the postseason, the team believes right-hander Adbert Alzolay will be a fixture in their rotation.
Alzolay had a strong first half and in his first season in the Cubs’ rotation, he has held his own, flashing moments of high-level success in the process. But Alzolay has a tougher time in the second half as more teams have started to get more looks at him, his stuff and he learns how to have success over a 162-game season.
“Just looking for him to continue to compete,” manager David Ross said before Saturday’s 4-0 loss. “I don’t think he’s changed anything, it’s just about going through the learning process of getting better. I don’t think that it’s fair if we judge every outing as great, it was bad.
“He’s getting his first full season under his belt at the big league level. There’s gonna be some lumps and bumps in the road. He’s got to make adjustments and continue to execute.”
But Saturday against the White Sox, he had his best outing in over a month and looked like the pitcher that showed so much during the first half. Coming into the game, the young right-hander had a 6.00 ERA over his last seven starts since coming off the injured list with a blister in mid-June and has been searching to re-find his early-season success.
Following two first-inning runs courtesy of a few soft singles and a two-out double by Yoan Moncada, Alzolay got locked in and began to mow down a potent White Sox offense.
“I think today [was] the best day that I’ve had feeling for all my pitches,” Alzolay said. You know, I feel like my mechanics, my delivery, everything was in sync today.”
One area Alzolay has been strong this season has been against right-handed hitters. Entering Saturday, right-handed opponents had a .184 batting average against Alzolay with a .525 OPS.
But the area where Alzolay hasn’t found success has been his approach against left-handed hitters, who have gotten the best of him. Lefties had a .284 batting average against with a robust 1.022 OPS and of the NL-leading 23 homers he’s allowed, 19 have come against left-handers.
The Cubs’ right-hander has been looking for different ways to attack left-handers and has been trying different mixes of sliders, cutters and changeups along with his two- and four-seam fastball. The changeup was effective against the Sox lefties.
Alzolay avoided major damage and kept the ball on the ground, which helped him stay away from the long ball, which has hurt him at times this season.
“All the work we were putting in behind the scenes, it’s been paying off,” Alzolay said. “I feel that way we were mixing in pitches today – the sinker, the four-seam, the change, the backdoor slider against the lefties. It allowed me to set them up for the changeup late in the count. ... “The changeup was a really huge piece today.”
It was Alzolay’s best performance in over a month as he tossed 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits. He struck out seven batters in the game and didn’t allow a walk. It was just the second time in his last 12 starts where he didn’t allow a free pass.
It was also the first start of Alzolay’s career in which he didn’t allow a walk or a home run.
“I thought he did great. I thought he commanded the ball really well to both sides of the plate,” Ross said. Opened up down and away really well to lefties. The changeup played nicely and got some really good swings and misses. ... He did phenomenal. That was one of the better outings I’ve seen him throw.”
from Chicago Sun-Times - All https://ift.tt/3lVyl59
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