Stewart remaining upbeat during up-and-down season
Brock Stewart is trying to remain upbeat.
He’s living out of a hotel room, sometimes in Oklahoma City and sometimes in Los Angeles when not on a road trip. His pitching schedule has been all out of whack.
It’s just a tough combination for a 26-year-old right-handed pitcher who has admittingly struggled with the inconsistent nature of a season in which injuries have ravaged Los Angeles’ pitching staff, forcing Stewart to shuttle back and forth unsure of when he’ll take the mound.
“It’s been a grind so far this season,” Stewart said. “I’ve had success here and I’ve had success in the big leagues, but inconsistent success. I’m just trying to be consistent, have the same approach and the same mentality every time I go out there.”
From April 29 to June 8 Stewart was promoted to L.A. five times and pitched just 17 ½ major-league innings, starting twice and appearing out of the bullpen six times. He had 5.60 ERA.
But he was also sent back to OKC a handful of times. Wednesday, he made his first start since May 17 with OKC. He went just three innings and allowed two runs on four hits and a walk. He was limited to 65 pitches since his routine is off.
“Not very good,” Stewart said about his outing. “I’m optimistic that I can turn it around. There’s still a lot of the year left. I still think my best pitching days are ahead of me. It’s frustrating for me right now for sure.”
OKC manager Bill Haselman said Stewart was also battling a minor illness, which has affected the clubhouse. But Stewart wasn’t making excuses.
Instead, he’s working daily to make sure his mechanics remain strong. He’s hoping to regain his arm strength to restore his velocity and in turn his performance.
Stewart knows he needs to perform closer to the level of 2016 when he rose from Class A to the big leagues. Monday against Las Vegas will be his next chance.
“Pitching in the big leagues is my dream come true,” Stewart said. “I’m sort of past that point now. I want to stay and I want to get consistent opportunities, and I know you have to pitch well to do that. I get it. I completely understand. But, yeah, it’s not been ideal at all for my routine and my psyche.
“I have everything in perspective and I’m still blessed to be able to do this.”