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Milwaukee Brewers: Assessing starting rotation options

By Kenny Jilek

MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 05: Starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin #45 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws in the fourth inning of Game Two of the National League Division Series against the Colorado Rockies at Miller Park on October 5, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 05: Starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin #45 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws in the fourth inning of Game Two of the National League Division Series against the Colorado Rockies at Miller Park on October 5, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 15: Pitcher Jhoulys Chacin #45 of the Milwaukee Brewers looks on during the first inning of Game Three of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on October 15, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 15: Pitcher Jhoulys Chacin #45 of the Milwaukee Brewers looks on during the first inning of Game Three of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on October 15, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

Jhoulys Chacin

Jhoulys Chacin got off to a rocky start in 2018. After signing a contract for $15,500,000 over 2 years, he stumbled out of the gates, posting a 4.54 ERA in his seven starts in March and April. He found his rhythm after that and finished the season with a very respectable 3.50 ERA while leading the Brewers in innings pitched and is the only starter to pitch every time their spot in the order came around.

Chacin’s reliability is what will earn him a spot in the Brewers’ rotation. That and his wipeout slider. This slider is the reason that right-handed hitters had a combined batting average of .178 and .528 OPS against him in 2018.  He threw the slider on 44% of his pitches, a steep incline from his previous career high of 35%. That .178 BA number against righties drops to .132 when only looking at what they did against his slider. Not only could they not get hits, but right-handed hitters also couldn’t even make contact. His slider induced a 35.5% whiff rate against righties, and if you think he can only get righties and platoon teams might beat him by stacking their lineup with left-handed hitters, they don’t fare much better with a .197 average and 21.7% whiff rate against the slider. Against left-handed hitters, he also utilizes a changeup much more often (61 times compared to only 3 against right-handed hitters) which has an almost identical whiff rate to his slider against righties at 35.3%.

Chacin is a lock to be in the rotation when Opening Day comes. Pending an unreal Spring Training from another established starter, he will likely be the Opening Day starter. His ability to eat up innings to save the bullpen and reliably give the Brewers a good start every time his spot in the rotation comes around make him the pseudo-ace of the current 2019 Brewers club.

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