Leclerc poised for comeback with new outlook
SURPRISE, Ariz. — When Jose Leclerc signed a four-year, $14.75 million contract at the start of 2019, it came with what he felt were added responsibilities.
First and foremost, to be an elite reliever. And then also to be a clubhouse leader, even though he was only 25 years old at the time.
“I think in 2019, I maybe put too much pressure on myself,” Leclerc said. “But now I don’t have to think about pressure. I just have to think about helping the team.
“Maybe the first year, maybe I was little excited. Last year, I couldn’t pitch. Now, I have to take it another way. I have to just try to help the team.”
Leclerc enters this spring training in a slightly different position than the last couple of years. He still, in theory, could be the team’s closer. But it’s not a given.
After pitching to a 4.33 ERA in 2019 and missing all but two games in 2020 due to a shoulder injury, this spring is about getting back to the 2018 pitcher that dominated in a closer’s role.
But that could take on different forms. He even brought up the idea of starting to manager Chris Woodward.
“The way he handled that years just showed me a lot about who this kid is,” Woodward said of Leclerc in 2019. “The multiple innings, dominant, back-end leverage guy — the thing is, you can pitch him one day in the eighth or ninth and the next day you can throw him six and seven.”
He said the key for him this year is to command his fastball better, and less about throwing extremely hard — his career average fastball velocity is 96.2 miles per hour, per Fangraphs.
He’s trying to adjust his mound mentality, to keep his mind from racing all over the place. He practiced this by pitching in slow motion.
“I was thinking too much in 2019,” Leclerc said. “I tried to be the best. Because now, I got a contract. … Too many things on my mind. But this year, I’m just trying to not think too much.”
Lefty Hearn viewed as starting pitcher
Woodward said he still views lefthanded pitcher Taylor Hearn as a starter long-term in his career, even if the plan with him short-term is still up in the air .
“We’re gonna build him up,” Woodward said. “Obviously we want to see him pitch length. I don’t know what the eventual role on the team will be.”
First baseman Guzman could move to outfield
Woodward floated the possibility of first baseman Ronald Guzman taking reps in right field to potentially add to his versatility and make him more valuable.
Guzman is currently in a battle at first base with Nate Lowe. But it will be tough to keep both players on the roster to start the season.
He’s not going to take a ton of reps in the outfield. Right now, any plans to add that to his repertoire are still in the infant stages. Woodward said he was planning to ask Guzman about the possibility, but the 26-yearold slugger beat him to it.
“[Guzman] even said it, ‘If Lowe and I both hit, how are we going to do this,’” Woodward said. “And I said, ‘Exactly. How are we going to do this?’”