There are plenty of similarities between Garrett Crochet and Chris Sale. The pair of Southpaws were both drafted by the White Sox in the first round; made their MLB debut the same year they were drafted; spent at least a year in the bullpen before transitioning into a role as a starter; suffered season-ending arm injuries; and recorded 21 strikeouts in their first three starts.
However, as former White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski pointed out during Monday night’s broadcast on FS1, there is one difference between the two pitchers. The location of their slider. As Pierzynski pointed out, Crochet often leaves his slider on the outside corner and sometimes misses over the plate. Sale buries his slider on the back foot of righties.
Both pitchers have shown top-of-the-rotation stuff while wearing a White Sox uniform. Sale owns four of the White Sox top 10 single-game strikeout records. Crochet became just the third pitcher in MLB history since 1901 to record 30 or more strikeouts and four or fewer walks in his first four career starts. But Crochet can elevate his game to another level if he locates his slider on the back foot of righties more often like Sale.
The slider has been Crochet’s second favorite pitch this season. He throws it 24% of the time. While using his slider Crochet has generated a 36% whiff rate and 38% strikeout rate. However, according to Baseball Savant, it has a -4 Run Value, the lowest of his four pitches.
When looking at all of the home runs Crochet has allowed this season off his slider, nearly all of them missed over the inside corner of the strike zone to righties. When looking at all the sliders used to retire a strikeout the vast majority are low and inside to right-handers.
This is not only a trend with his slider. The vast majority of cutters he has thrown that have resulted in hits were left over the heart of the plate. Some of this is because Crochet attacks hitters. Over half of his pitches (53.6%) have been in the strike zone this season. Because of this, he is bound to give up hits. But missing high with a slider is asking for trouble if it hangs over the strike zone. A high slider out of the strike zone is also easier for a hitter to lay off.
On Monday the 24-year-old tossed five innings of two-run ball against the Minnesota Twins. He only allowed two hits and a walk while striking out seven. The runs he allowed came courtesy of a slider that was left over the inside corner of the strike zone and sent 392 feet by Carlos Santana for a two-run homer. He didn't lean much on his slider after that, only throwing it five times in 77 pitches.
If can locate his slider low and inside to right-handers and away from lefties more consistently he could see his already gaudy strikeout numbers increase while minimizing damage.
