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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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DENVER, CO – MAY 13: Starting pitcher Freddy Peralta #51 of the Milwaukee Brewers walks to the dugout after being relieved in the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 13, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – MAY 13: Starting pitcher Freddy Peralta #51 of the Milwaukee Brewers walks to the dugout after being relieved in the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 13, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Freddy Peralta

Freddy Peralta burst onto the scene on Mothers’ Day in 2018 striking out 13 Colorado Rockies’ batters en route to a 7-3 win. After this, he was plagued with inconsistency. He saw multiple starts where he could not find control and was chased early, but also a few brilliant starts where he looked unhittable and had 7 or more strikeouts a total of six times in fourteen starts.

There is a reason that they call him “Freddy Fastball”. He threw his fastball on 77.6% of his pitches in 2018. 72 of his 96 total strikeouts in 2018 were via the fastball, which is lively and electric despite being only an average of 91 mph. Unfortunately for him, 35 of his 39 walks were issued by a fastball. In the rare event, he did throw his curve, it had a K% of 34.9%. When he throws the ball in the strike zone, batters cannot hit him. His opponent batting average was a pathetic .178 in 2018. However, a BB/9 of 4.6 does not give him the chance to get outs. Working in his favor is that 4.6 is high even for him as his BB/9 was a better 2.98 in his 6 year minor league career. If he can lower his walk numbers and make them similar to his minor league career he will be a very effective starting pitcher for years to come.

His inconsistency, combined with his youth (only 22 years old), are the reasons that the Brewers will probably give him another year either in the bullpen or mostly starting games in AAA to develop. His control issues in their current state may be too much of a dealbreaker for the Brewers to keep him as a full-time rotation starter when they have so many other options. He will get opportunities to start at major league camp this spring and, similar to the spot starts he made in 2018, he has a chance to pitch well enough that they will have no choice but to give him a starting role, but he is currently on the outside looking in.

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