Devenski loses grip on usual command
Since he made his meteoric rise from unprotected in the 2015 Rule 5 Draft to pitching in this year’s MLB All-Star Game, Chris Devenski has become a prototype for the multi-inning leverage reliever who has become more prevalent in the modern game.
In each of his first two appearances of the season, Devenski was called upon to pitch four innings. The converted starter converted a rare seven-out save on April 20. He got six outs or more in 11 of his 35 outings before the All-Star break.
But when the Astros open their three-game interleague series against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night, it will have been almost exactly a month since Devenski was asked to record more than
three outs in a game. Their most versatile reliever has been mired in a secondhalf rut, a struggle-filled stretch in which his workload has diminished significantly.
Devenski has pitched only 32⁄3 innings over six appearances in August. Since the All-Star break, he has pitched only 11 innings, fewer than he did in April (162⁄3), May (141⁄3) and June (171⁄3).
Whether a result of fatigue or simply the ebbs and flows of a 162-game season, Devenski has seen his percentage of strikes thrown dip significantly in recent outings. Typically one to aggressively attack the zone, the 26-year-old righthander has thrown only 53 percent of his pitches for strikes this month, down from 67 percent in the season’s first four months.
Fastball command is pivotal to an effective changeup, which is Devenski’s signature pitch. Early in the season, the occasions when Devenski walked a batter were few and far between. But in August, he has more walks allowed (six) than strikeouts (five).
“I’ve got to get better at focusing on getting ahead, throwing strikes,” he said. “That’s who I am. I’m a guy who goes out there and I attack the strike zone and get ahead and beat guys with my best stuff. That’s really not happening right now. But whatever has happened is in the past. I can’t control the past . ... The only thing I can control is my effort and my attitude and my focus on one pitch at a time.”
Devenski’s velocity and the separation between his fastball and changeup have remained steady even throughout his recent stretch. It’s the rate at which he’s thrown those pitches inside the strike zone that has waned.
Advantage to hitters
“Like with most pitchers, it starts with command,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “I think being able to execute your game plan from pitch one is one of the biggest priorities a pitcher has, and he hasn’t been able to do that.
“Much of his effectiveness comes from the hitter going up knowing he’s going to throw a strike, he’s going to throw a strike where he wants to, and usually they have to pick what speed: fastball versus changeup and an occasional breaking ball.
“Recently, because of the lack of strikes and the lack of command, they can be very patient with him. The more patient they’ve become, the more hitter’s counts they’ve gotten into, and his struggles of executing either his fastball or his changeup for a strike when he wants to has put him in some bad counts.”
The effect of Devenski’s first-half workload is an obvious variable to consider, though the Astros don’t feel Devenski has been overworked. In managing his season-long workload, Hinch has long said the days of rest between Devenski’s outings were more important than the sheer volume of innings.
Devenski came into Monday ranked fifth in innings (632⁄3) among major league relievers. He has made 49 total appearances, 28 on two or more days of rest and only nine when pitching on back-to-back days. He has pitched more than an inning in an appearance only twice since the All-Star break — 11⁄3 on July 14 and two innings on July 23.
Sets high bar for self
Time is on the Astros’ side for Devenski to get back on track. Their recent acquisition of Tyler Clippard, the looming return of Will Harris and the recent emergence of Joe Musgrove should continue to alleviate the pressure on their most-used reliever, who will be relied upon heavily come October. September roster expansion also will help the Astros spread their bullpen innings around.
“He’s a very intense guy, and he expects a lot out of himself,” Hinch said of Devenski. “I love his work ethic. I love the standards that he holds himself to.
“We’ve got to get him back convicted in his stuff inside the strike zone. There’s something that’s making him want to be a little bit more careful around the strike zone. Whether that’s mechanics, whether that’s approach, whether that’s belief — all contribute to a different style pitcher now than we’ve seen before. It’s our job to find the solution to get him back feeling good about challenging the hitters.”