{"id":58407,"date":"2023-05-21T10:36:29","date_gmt":"2023-05-21T14:36:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=58407"},"modified":"2023-05-21T10:36:29","modified_gmt":"2023-05-21T14:36:29","slug":"brent-suter-reliever-rockies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2023\/05\/21\/brent-suter-reliever-rockies\/","title":{"rendered":"Brent Suter\u2019s Dominance Is Unprecedented; But Not Entirely"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the Jurassic Park theme song blasts out of the stadium speakers and \u201cThe Raptor\u201d emerges out of the Rockies bullpen, fans at Coors Field can begin to expect what will happen. When that happens, Brent Suter is coming into the game to shut down the opposition for multiple innings at.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After seven seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers<\/a> to start his career, Suter has dominated in his first year with his new team. Pitching 27 2\/3 innings to this point in the year, he has a 0.98 ERA, striking out 26 batters and boasting an impressive 0.976 WHIP. His 516 ERA+ shows that he is incredibly dominant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2023 is not the first season that he has had a dominant run, as in 18 1\/3 innings in 2019. That’s when he boasted a 921 ERA+ and was even more impressive than his current run.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Suter Is Not Boasting a New Skillset<\/h2>\n

Suter went from a very good peripheral pitcher to one of the best in the league, but his skills have stayed consistent. <\/span>In 2020<\/span><\/a>, he ranked in the 96th percentile in average exit velocity, 96th percentile in walk rate, 87th percentile in hard hit percentage and 80th percentile in barrel percentage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now <\/span>in 2023<\/span><\/a>, he ranks even higher, as he sits in the 99th percentile in average exit velocity, 99th percentile in hard hit percentage, 99th percentile in barrel percentage and ranking in the 99th percentile in nearly every expected baseball savant stat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The biggest difference with Suter\u2019s skills coming together has been his ability to miss the barrel. His 1.4% barrel rate is by far the lowest of his career, but much of his production just seems to be hitters being unable to figure him out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The hitters launch angle is also up 4.3% from 2022, being at 17.2 degrees in the new year. Pitching his home games in Coors, that may be negative. However, those hits are not being hit hard enough and die far before they get to the fence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tempo and Making Adjustments<\/h3>\n
\n

Fewest barrels allowed:
\nMiguel Castro: 0 Brls
\nTaylor Clarke: 0 Brls
\nGregory Santos: 0 Brls
\nConnor Brogdon: 1 Brls
\nSeranthony Dominguez: 1 Brls
\nBrent Suter: 1 Brls
\nFelix Bautista: 1 Brls
\nJovani Moran: 1 Brls
\nKevin Kelly: 1 Brls
\nTyler Rogers: 1 Brls<\/p>\n

\u2014 Jon Anderson (@JonPgh) May 18, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n