Tarik Skubal, the ace pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, is a fascinating figure in baseball, setting himself apart from his peers with a unique pitch-usage strategy. His approach to left-handed hitters is particularly intriguing, as he embraces a pitch that most pitchers shy away from.
One of the most striking aspects of Skubal's pitching is his use of the changeup to left-handed batters. While left-handed pitchers typically throw changeups just 3.7% of the time against lefties, Skubal has been using his changeup to left-handed hitters at a rate of 20.7%, which is the third highest in the league. This high usage rate is even more surprising given that the league-wide rate of left-on-left changeups has not exceeded 5% since the pitch-tracking era began in 2008.
Skubal's success with this pitch is evident in the numbers. Left-handed batters are hitting a mere .119 against his changeup, with a 28.0% whiff rate. This high whiff rate indicates that Skubal's changeup is effectively deceiving batters, making it a valuable weapon in his arsenal.
However, what makes Skubal's approach even more intriguing is the reason behind his high usage rate. Unlike most pitchers, Skubal doesn't have a sweeper pitch, which is a common choice for left-on-left matchups. Instead, he struggles to throw a sweeper, which makes his changeup even more effective. Skubal's slider also averages only 3.1 inches of glove-side movement, further emphasizing his unique approach.
The Tigers' catcher, Jake Rogers, refers to Skubal's changeup as an 'outlier pitch,' highlighting its rarity and value. This pitch has been so successful that it graded out as the most valuable offering in the game last year, according to Statcast's run value metric. Batters hit a mere .154 off it with a 48.6% swing and miss rate, making it a dominant pitch in Skubal's repertoire.
Skubal's pitch usage is a testament to his creativity and confidence in his arsenal. After the 2021 season, the Tigers helped him develop a new changeup with seam-shifted wake, a cutting-edge phenomenon that creates unexpected movement. This innovation has allowed Skubal to complement his power sinker, which he uses 46% of the time against left-handed hitters, with a changeup that drops down more than expected.
In conclusion, Tarik Skubal's unique pitch-usage strategy, particularly his high usage of the changeup to left-handed hitters, is a fascinating aspect of his pitching. His success with this approach, combined with his innovative use of seam-shifted wake, makes him a brilliant and unique pitcher in the MLB. As he continues to dominate, Skubal's pitch selection and strategy will undoubtedly be a topic of interest and analysis for years to come.
