Greinke says no more sliders on menu
Monday offered finality for Zack Greinke. He is done with his slider, a problematic pitch since 2020 that he’s tired of trying to tinker.
“I don’t want to ever throw it again after today. It was bad. Their team is not a good slider hitting team,” Greinke said after the Tigers shelled him for six earned runs in 4 ⅔ innings.
Greinke threw nine sliders against a free-swinging Detroit lineup. The Tigers entered Monday with a 47.7 percent swing rate and, according to FanGraphs, chased pitches outside the strike zone 32.4 percent of the time. They swung five times at Greinke’s nine sliders. Not one elicited a whiff.
Greinke entered spring training set on solving his slider woes. Four seasons ago, in an All-Star season where he finished fourth in National League Cy Young voting, it was one of his most successful pitches. Greinke threw it 710 tims in 2017 — comprising 22.5 percent of his pitch selection. Opponents swung and missed against it 44.4 percent of the time.
Greinke has thrown it less frequently in each season since. He possesses four other pitches and can mix them masterfully, somewhat masking the slider’s ineffectiveness. Greinke often throws the slider primarily against righthanded hitters. Through three starts this season, righties have an .857 OPS against him.
To start this season, Greinke tried throwing the slider slower. It averaged 81.5 mph in his first three starts. He threw it at least 83.4 mph in each of the past four seasons. Greinke said he had no command of the pitch in spring training, but the movement was what he desired.
“If I can control it, it’d be great,” Greinke said in spring. “But I threw way too many nowhere close to where I wanted to throw them. It’s not a good pitch if I can’t command it.”
Maldonado to sign contract extension
The Astros and catcher Martín Maldonado are finalizing on a one-year contract extension that includes a vesting option for the 2023 season, two people with knowledge of the deal told The Chronicle on Tuesday.
Maldonado signed a two-year, $7 million contract in Dec. 2019 that was set to expire after this season. The new contract means both Maldonado and backup catcher Jason Castro are signed through the 2022 season. Castro received a two-year, $7 million deal this winter.
The Astros acquired Maldonado at the trade deadline during both the 2018 and 2019 seasons. They’ve long had an affinity for his defensive prowess, but his leadership and guidance during a difficult 2020 season ascended his value. Maldonado is one of the team’s unquestioned leaders. Starter Lance McCullers Jr. surmised last season the 34year-old catcher could have been the club’s most valuable player.
After the Astros pitching staff was beset by injury in 2020, Maldonado guided 10 rookie pitchers through their first major league seasons. His .350 on-base percentage and .727 OPS were career-highs, too. Maldonado started 47 of Houston’s 60 games and 13 of its 14 postseason games.
Though he is not counted on for his offense, Maldonado is off to a miserable start, striking out 16 times in his first 34 plate appearances. He began Tuesday with an unsightly .215 OPS, then sat until he pinch hit in the ninth, striking out to end the game.
“You know he’s not going to struggle forever, but unless you play a guy, he’ll never get out of his struggles,” manager Dusty Baker said on Tuesday.
“I’m still trying to figure that out exactly. Maldy’s working out big time in the (batting) cage. I don’t think he’s seeing the ball. He’s taking strikes and swinging at balls and so it’s a matter of concentration and confidence, which is why I haven’t (pinch) hit for him a couple times.”
Bregman progressing with hamstrings
Alex Bregman is “trending in the right direction” in his continued buildup from hamstring issues that sidelined him for most of spring training. Manager Dusty Baker gave the two-time All-Star two off days during the first eight games. On Saturday, the skipper mentioned Bregman had “sore legs” and intimated the off day was unscheduled.
“When you miss a significant amount of games in camp, you don’t really feel like you have your legs underneath you,” said Bregman, who did not make his spring debut until March 16.
“Each passing day, you get that strength back and your body kind of builds that callous that you build through the course of the regular season. I’m feeling better every day.”
Bregman strained his left hamstring while running sprints in January but acknowledged on Tuesday that both of his hamstrings can be problematic. After hitting a home run in each of the Astros’ first two games, Bregman is riding a 6-for-27 skid. All six of his hits have been singles.
“Yesterday felt great,” Bregman said Tuesday. “It was a step in the right direction and continue to be adamant about my prep work and my prep routine and make sure I put myself in the best position to stay healthy this year.”