SP Tyler Glasnow has been off to a great start this season. The 27-year-old righty has a 2.35 ERA and a 2.80 FIP (fielding independent pitching) in nine starts (57.1 IP) for Tampa Bay. So, what exactly has gone right for the Rays’ ACE?
Tyler Glasnow
Tyler Glasnow has always had the A+ stuff but it was just a matter of time. This offseason, Glasnow added a new pitch to his arsenal. It’s called a “slutter”, the movement of a pitch similar to that of a cutter and slider.
In 2020, Tyler Glasnow had two primary pitches, a fourseam and a curveball. He also sprinkled in a change-up, throwing it about 3% of the time. Glasnow’s results were very good last year, as he was among the top of the league in terms of swing and miss, strikeout rates and velocity. But there is always room for improvement, and the introduction of the slider is allowing Glasnow to take his abilities to the next level. Specifically, Glasnow is able to add variety to his pitches.
So, with this new pitch, Glasnow is better and tougher than ever before. Hence, the results are showing this season.
Cy Young Incoming?
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So far this year, Glasnow has a 1.6 WAR (wins above replacement). That ranks 16th out of all MLB pitchers. While that may not be impressive, Glasnow ranks second out of all pitchers in strikeouts this season (85). In addition, Glasnow ranks fourth out of all pitchers in K/9 this season (13.3).
Overall, Tyler Glasnow has been elite this season. His walk rate isn’t quite Cy Young-caliber, but otherwise, Glasnow has everything you need to win Cy Young. Unfortunately, Gerrit Cole is in his way. However, there are over 100 games left, meaning anything can happen in the upcoming weeks.