Every team has their own way of utilizing modern-day statistics to influence the team and put more wins on the board. The New York Yankees are no different, as their approach to the bullpen seems to be very centralized around one specific area.
New York Yankees strikeout machine:
The Yankees’ bullpen is set to be one of the more dominant in the MLB, especially after the signing of Adam Ottavino on a three-year deal. But the most exciting aspect of the core players in the bullpen is their impressive strikeout rates.
With Aroldis Chapman (43.9%), Dellin Betances (42.3%) and Adam Ottavino (36.3%), the @Yankees have 3 of the top 10 K% relievers from 2018 (min: 40 IP). pic.twitter.com/2jrrhJiqNZ
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) January 25, 2019
Aroldis Chapman whiffed an astounding 43.9% of the batters he faced, with Dell Batances recording 42.3% and Ottavino 36.3%. Between the three they strike out nearly 41% of the hitters they face. That’s more than one per inning. Clearly, the Yanks want us to catch on to the most obvious trail they’ve left behind.
Now, while the three listed above are specialized in this category, Zach Britton is not. In fact, he averages less than one strikeout-per-inning. His walk rate in 2018 was the highest its been since 2014 at 21 over 41 games. I don’t believe that has much credibility behind it in regard to a flaw, but it’s something to keep an eye on.
It will be interesting to see how the three strikeout maestros are used in-game, as they all have their different skill-sets, but somehow manage to get to the same goal. I would anticipate the Yankees being a bit more tactical with who they use to pitch against which batters throughout the season.