Alexis Díaz Has a Unicorn Fastball

It’s not loopy to see somebody make the bounce from an amazing reliever to an elite reliever. Every 12 months, there are a handful of stellar reduction seasons that we merely simply didn’t see coming. I used to be a fan of Alexis Díaz after his stellar 2022 debut (1.84 ERA, 3.32 FIP, 32.5 Okay%), however I didn’t anticipate him to be this dominant, as he’s taken large steps ahead in kind of each stat. What’s behind it?

When it involves pitching improvement, it’s necessary to be distinctive; you don’t wish to appear to be or throw like anyone else. If you’re going to be elite, you need to discover what makes you particular and lean into it. For Díaz, his outlier ability is his capacity to launch the ball nearer to the plate than anyone on this planet from an unorthodox angle. He doesn’t have overwhelming velocity, but his four-seamer is likely one of the greatest within the recreation, and the extension is a big motive for it. It’s as if the ball is being shot at you from slightly league distance by a softball pitching machine.

Here’s how Díaz’s launch level compares to different pitchers with comparable extension:

Focusing first on launch level, you’ll see that not one of the different 4 pitchers on this small cohort will get their arm as little as the Reds nearer. Combine this with top-tier extension and persistently being up within the zone, and you’ve got the reason for the way Díaz’s Vertical Approach Angle (VAA) is so flat in comparison with these on this checklist. Horizontally talking, solely Jordan Romano is as far towards the third baseline, however Díaz’s low slot arm angle could be very completely different for hitters in comparison with Romano’s. In phrases of spin axis, solely Devin Williams is considerably near Díaz. The different three pitchers are extra excessive. From a pitch design perspective, that might be perfect for constructing the right four-seamer, however as you’ll be able to see, being completely different is strictly how Díaz has been profitable.

Stepping away from extension as the primary benchmark and pivoting to vertical launch level, it turns into even clearer than Díaz is in a league of his personal. Nick Sandlin, Paul Sewald, and Seth Martinez are the one different overhand pitchers who’ve such a low arm slot, however none of them compete with Díaz’s a hundredth percentile extension. On prime of that, all of them throw their fastballs within the low-90s moderately than Díaz’s mid-90s. (Perhaps not coincidentally, the perfect comparability for his launch level is his brother Edwin.)

When it involves evaluating pitchers, it’s necessary to put out how the pitcher is exclusive by the lens of numbers and measurements. But what’s equally necessary is seeing the sequencing in a stay at-bat. As a two-pitch pitcher, Díaz isn’t shocking hitters all that a lot; you both get the heater or the slider. But it’s nonetheless necessary to maneuver your two pitches across the zone to set them up, and that’s precisely what I wish to present you. I’ll begin with an at-bat towards the reigning NL MVP, Paul Goldschmidt.

Pitch 1 (0-0 depend, 4-seamer)

Pitch 2 (0-1 depend, 4-seamer)

Pitch 3 (0-2 depend, slider)

Pitch 4 (1-2 depend, slider)

Pitch 5 (2-2 depend, slider)

This is what I name carving up a hitter. After beginning with a painted four-seamer inside, Díaz follows up with a heater proper down Broadway. These sorts of whiffs are completely consultant of how particular his fastball is; Díaz has the higher hand towards elite hitters even when he challenges them within the coronary heart of the zone as a result of it’s not a pitch you’re accustomed to seeing.

Now that he’s forward within the depend, Díaz may go even greater with a four-seamer or change speeds with a slider. He opted for 3 consecutive sliders. The first buckled Goldschmidt, and whilst you might consider this as a backed-up slider, Díaz routinely will get all these takes inside towards righties as a result of the pitch tunnels so properly together with his four-seamer. After losing the 1–2 providing, the subsequent slider was within the zone, and Goldschmidt had no probability.

Now let’s pivot to an at-bat towards the left-handed hitting Christian Yelich:

Pitch 1 (0-0 depend, 4-seamer)

Pitch 2 (1-0 depend, 4-seamer)

Pitch 3 (1-1 depend, 4-seamer)

Pitch 4 (2-1 depend, slider)

Pitch 5 (2-2 depend, 4-seamer)

Luke Maile might not have been establishing on within the internal third, but it surely’s clear that’s the place Díaz needed to stay towards Yelich. He missed two fastballs simply inside to start out the at-bat and on 1–1 however went down the center of the plate in between; Yelich didn’t look comfy on any of these pitches. Then on 2–1, Díaz received a chase and whiff on a slider beneath the zone. Getting a hitter to develop when they’re forward within the depend on a breaking ball shouldn’t be a straightforward activity, not to mention a hitter with a 76th percentile chase price. With a 2–2 depend, Díaz as soon as once more discovered himself within the driver’s seat and went again to the fastball, fooling Yelich with a scorching four-seamer on the low-inside nook. With a low launch level and very flat VAA, known as strikes on this location will be frequent if a pitcher can spot it right here. It’s one motive why Díaz is so efficient towards left-handed hitters.

As we gear up for the second half of the season, the Reds will want Díaz to proceed his dominance in the event that they hope to carry up their playoff probabilities. Consistently profitable shut video games shall be essential for a group counting on a lineup filled with rookies. Luckily for them, he has confirmed he’s properly geared up to deal with the ninth and carve up the center of any group’s lineup. If you’re going to wager on anyone to shut video games for you throughout a playoff push, you’ll be able to’t go incorrect a Díaz brother.