Friday Night Lights: Rangers at Mariners Series Preview

Probable Pitchers

**Updated Stuff+ Explainer**

• Stuff+ scores for Mariners starters

  

  | Pitcher | IP | K% | BB% | HR/FB% | GB% | ERA | FIP | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Jacob deGrom | 172.2 | 27.7% | 5.5% | 13.8% | 37.8% | 2.97 | 3.64 | | Logan Gilbert | 131 | 32.3% | 5.8% | 14.8% | 38.9% | 3.44 | 3.35 | | Pitch | Usage vRHB | Usage vLHB | Velocity | Stuff+ | Whiff+ | BIP+ | xwOBA | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Four-seam | 50.0% | 42.3% | 97.5 | 110 | 98 | 83 | 0.299 | | Changeup | 2.8% | 19.3% | 89.8 | 107 | 129 | 107 | 0.294 | | Curveball | 1.9% | 8.1% | 80.9 | 99 | 115 | 102 | 0.240 | | Slider | 45.3% | 30.3% | 90.4 | 109 | 118 | 96 | 0.273 | From a previous series preview: *Last year, Jacob deGrom made 30 starts for the first time since 2019 and crossed the 150 IP threshold for just the fifth time in his career. That health was the result of a conscious effort to pitch with a little less intensity. His fastball velocity was down about a tick from where it was at his peak, though it still averaged 97.5 mph. From a results standpoint, he ran his lowest strikeout rate since 2016 and the highest FIP of his career. Even in his diminished form, he was still one of the better pitchers in baseball, and as they say, the best ability is availability.* deGrom lasted five innings in his previous start against the Mariners, allowing just a single run on a hit and a walk with six strikeouts. He was lifted after throwing just 78 pitches, probably in an effort to keep his early season workload low. | Pitcher | IP | K% | BB% | HR/FB% | GB% | ERA | FIP | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Nathan Eovaldi | 130 | 26.0% | 4.2% | 9.6% | 50.3% | 1.73 | 2.80 | | George Kirby | 126 | 26.1% | 5.5% | 12.8% | 44.1% | 4.21 | 3.37 | | Pitch | Usage vRHB | Usage vLHB | Velocity | Stuff+ | Whiff+ | BIP+ | xwOBA | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Four-seam | 50.0% | 42.3% | 97.5 | 110 | 98 | 83 | 0.299 | | Changeup | 2.8% | 19.3% | 89.8 | 107 | 129 | 107 | 0.294 | | Curveball | 1.9% | 8.1% | 80.9 | 99 | 115 | 102 | 0.240 | | Slider | 45.3% | 30.3% | 90.4 | 109 | 118 | 96 | 0.273 | From a previous series preview: *Nathan Eovaldi has also been forced to figure out how to do more with less (fastball velocity). Last year, he dropped the usage of his four-seam fastball by nearly 15 points, added a sinker to his repertoire, and increased the usage of his cutter and curveball. The result was a pitch mix that was a lot less predictable and a lot less dependent on his deteriorating velocity. Unfortunately, elbow and shoulder injuries derailed the success he was seeing with his new approach, and he spent most of the second half of the season on the shelf.* Eovaldi allowed two runs in six innings against the Mariners last week. He gave up six hits and two walks while striking out seven. | Pitcher | IP | K% | BB% | HR/FB% | GB% | ERA | FIP | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | MacKenzie Gore | 159.2 | 27.2% | 9.4% | 11.6% | 37.2% | 4.17 | 3.74 | | Bryan Woo | 186.2 | 27.1% | 4.9% | 12.8% | 40.8% | 2.94 | 3.47 | | Pitch | Usage vRHB | Usage vLHB | Velocity | Stuff+ | Whiff+ | BIP+ | xwOBA | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Four-seam | 51.7% | 42.3% | 95.3 | 99 | 95 | 91 | 0.379 | | Cutter | 6.1% | 0.1% | 90.3 | 96 | 177 | 111 | 0.259 | | Changeup | 13.8% | 0.0% | 86.2 | 91 | 152 | 134 | 0.285 | | Curveball | 27.9% | 12.4% | 81.6 | 106 | 112 | 67 | 0.293 | | Slider | 0.5% | 45.2% | 86.7 | 98 | 122 | 87 | 0.235 | From a previous series preview: *MacKenzie Gore was the Rangers’ big offseason acquisition in January. After being included in the blockbuster Juan Soto trade (the first one from Washington to San Diego), Gore has established himself as a solid frontline starter over the last few years. His secondary weapons are all fantastic — he’s the only pitcher in baseball to feature four pitches with whiff rates north of 35% — but he’s often let down by an inconsistent fastball. When he’s locating his heater well, it can give opposing batters fits. But too often — and particularly during the second half of the season when he’s worn down significantly — his locations will leak into the middle of the zone and batters will punish the pitch.* Gore was dominant against the M’s last week, throwing five shutout innings, and allowing just a single hit with nine strikeouts.

The Big Picture: