Vince Velasquez, who is looking to win one more shot in the Phillies’ starting rotation, could have taken a step in that direction in an in-school game Tuesday night.
The right-hander was impressive in four unstructured innings of work. (We called him unstructured because he faced an additional hitter in some innings to make his pitch count.) He gave two hits and a walk and did not allow a run. He struck out six.
Velasquez, who turned 28 in June, apparently not only stood up and waited for baseball to return during the shutdown.
He spent time adding a cutter and improving his change. He used both pitches effectively in his Tuesday night outing. He still has that fastball of power and a ball that breaks. A deeper and more consistent combination could finally allow him to unlock the tantalizing potential he has shown since coming to the organization as part of General Manager Matt Klentak’s first major exchange in December 2015.
“I thought his cutter was good,” manager Joe Girardi said. “It was a good launch for him. It has allowed him to use both sides of the plate. ”
Velasquez has had two strong outings in in-school action in the past week. He is fighting Nick Pivetta for the last place in the rotation. The competition runner-up will start the season in the bullpen.
After Tuesday night’s after-school game, Girardi was asked if Velásquez had taken the lead in the No. 5 starting derby.
“He looked great in his last two outings,” said Girardi. “I don’t think you can ignore what he’s doing.”
Velasquez was 7-8 with a 4.90 ERA in 33 games, 23 of which were starts, last season. Inconsistency and an inability to enter the innings with a reasonable pitch count led to the bullpen. Finally, a need arose in the rotation and Velásquez found himself there. That’s where you want to stay, but time may be running out. The Phils have Spencer Howard on the way, and in a short 60-game season they can’t afford to give Velásquez a long leash if he continues to be inconsistent.
It is time to harness that potential.
A change in the pitching coach could help Velásquez. Bryan Price believes in moving the ball up and down in the strike zone. The previous regime, trying to capitalize on Velásquez’s power, emphasized launching in the area.
Last week, catcher JT Realmuto spoke optimistically about Velásquez. Realmuto felt that Velásquez was making more “pitches” than “pitches”.
There is a difference.
“He worked on a new court during quarantine, mixing a cutter now, and he’s using his change a lot more than he has in the past, so just his pitching ability,” Realmuto said. “I was talking to Bryan Price about it. We are not going to be so one-dimensional with it. We are going to move the ball around the plate, throw up and down, mix the change, mix that cutter. He’s always had that curved ball. Looks great. I expect great things from him. “
We have already heard that about Velásquez. The clock is ticking. Maybe this is the year something clicks. The Phillies will certainly not complain if so.
While Velásquez is trying to earn a place in the rotation, Zack Wheeler’s place is safe. He faced 19 batters and did not allow a run in the intrasquad game. He’s online to start the second game of the season, if family life allows it. Wheeler is set to become a dad in the next few weeks, and that real-life event will put him off at least for a start, maybe two. That is why boys like Velásquez, Pivetta, Cole Irvin and others have their tickets extended. Startup entries may be available even after the fifth incumbent’s work is resolved.
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