Archive for Breakout Breakdown

An extraordinarily deep and effective bullpen was a key part of the Brewers’ run to the NLCS and coming within a win of going to the World Series. While they got just 20.1 innings from their starting pitchers in their series against the Dodgers, Josh Hader and Corey Knebel each tossed at least seven innings apiece, allowing a combined one run between them.

Jeremy Jeffress was as much a part of that vaunted bullpen throughout the regular season, but he faltered in both the NLCS and the NLDS against the Rockies. Despite collecting 11 strikeouts in eight postseason innings, Jeffress allowed six runs on 16 hits (including two home runs) and four walks.
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The Oakland A’s 2017 second half didn’t get a ton of attention. They went 36-37, salvaging an ugly first half to finish 75-87, but they were an interesting fantasy team. They hosted Yonder Alonso’s breakout, another 40-homer season from Khris Davis, and a few other power gems. What you might’ve missed if you lost track of the A’s during that 2017 second half was a pair of emerging studs, one call up and one trade piece (this being Blake Treinen, who I’ll cover in another BB piece soon).

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In a postseason where David Price, Clayton Kershaw and Luis Severino have hit some snags, it’s hard not to be impressed by the recent showings of Walker Buehler. In his first-ever postseason appearance against the Braves on Oct. 7, the 24-year-old rebounded from a five-run second inning to toss three perfect frames.

On Monday night, Buehler was outdueled by Jhoulys Chacin, but he cruised through his first five innings, allowing a run on two hits with eight strikeouts. While the Brewers padded their lead in the sixth and seventh innings, the two-run homer by Orlando Arcia that doubled their advantage to 4-0 had a hit probability of just 22 percent, according to Baseball Savant.
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