Some are calling it a legacy at-bat. I feel it’s probably the most spectacular shows of pitch-to-pitch changes I’ve ever seen in a postseason recreation. No matter means you need to describe it, all that issues is Bryce Harper sent his team to the World Series after 5 video games of main the Phillies’ offense with incredible, historic hitting. If he hadn’t already proved the price of his contract with an MVP efficiency in 2021, he did on this sequence, chewing up Padres pitching with eight hits in 20 at-bats, together with two house runs, three doubles, and 5 RBI.
I can go on about Harper’s postseason hitting perpetually, however for this piece, I need to deal with his at-bat towards Robert Suarez that gave Philadelphia the lead within the backside of the eighth inning of the series-clinching victory. No one was higher suited to that second than the reigning MVP; after every pitch, you could possibly see him processing his swings, which he took loads of, in preparation for the subsequent one. If there’s one factor a hitter wants within the postseason when dealing with elite pitching, it’s pitch-to-pitch changes. Permit me to information you thru how Harper made his.
Pitch 1
Hitters struggled mightily towards Suarez’s sinker this 12 months, with solely a .139 batting common and never a single house run allowed. He usually assaults hitters with four-seam fastballs to start out at-bats (47% of the time in 0–0 counts), however towards Harper, he opted for the sinker, his greatest pitch by run worth (-7). The motion on this sinker was simply sufficient to dive beneath Harper’s barrel and provides Suarez the benefit with an 0–1 depend.
Pitch 2
It’s an affordable technique to attempt to get the aggressive Harper to chase on the high of the zone on 0–1. After his huge hack on the earlier pitch, Suarez and Austin Nola knew Harper was searching any fastball within the zone. Sadly for Suarez, this one ran a bit too excessive and wasn’t fairly on the eye degree that hitters chase on the high of the zone.
Pitch 3
With a 1–1 depend, Harper may have anticipated absolutely anything. Suarez wasn’t predictable in that scenario all season, throwing his four-seamer and changeup round 30% of the time to lefties and the sinker just below 20%. The outdated adage nonetheless applies, nonetheless: Make the hitter hit your greatest.
This swing and pitch have been virtually practically similar to the primary of the at-bat: a sinker middle-away that ran and dove simply sufficient to overlook Harper’s barrel. This location was about an inch decrease, although, and in consequence, Harper bought only a hair extra of it. By way of location, that’s an space that he handles fairly effectively. Statcast labeled this pitch in zone 4 — the outer-middle third for left-handed hitters. Harper had a .548 wOBA on pitches on this zone in play throughout the common season. If you happen to let him get his fingers prolonged, he’ll do harm.
That sinker put Suarez forward within the depend as soon as once more regardless of two high quality swings from Harper. And whereas Suarez loves his changeup when forward within the depend towards lefties, Harper needed to be prepared for something.
Pitch 4
That is good execution by Suarez. If you happen to’re going again to the four-seamer, be sure it’s on the sting or out of the zone. Harper is often disciplined on this space, however he was in full defend mode on this at-bat; whereas he was a tick too late on the fastball, he let no borderline pitch go by and fouled off three straight choices.
If you happen to take note of the top of the clip, you see Harper take the highest of his backside hand and information it in direction of the pitcher’s mound — an instance of the hitter calculating the texture of their swing and utilizing an inside cue to get themselves again on observe. An inside cue is a saying and/or really feel {that a} hitter makes use of to direct a selected physique motion; every hitter has totally different cues that assist them. Harper’s cue is feeling his backside hand prolong out so the barrel could make its means additional in entrance of the plate. Heading into the repeat 1–2 depend, Harper needed to make this adjustment to catch as much as the heater.
Pitch 5
Nonetheless solely a foul ball, nevertheless it’s an enchancment from the earlier three swings. Harper shortened up, bought his barrel head out additional, and fouled this off to the left facet moderately than straight again. It was one other effectively executed pitch from Suarez on the backside of the zone, however as I famous earlier, Harper was in defend mode and wouldn’t let a detailed pitch sneak previous him.
That’s two straight fastballs in 1–2 counts. This needed to be the time for Suarez’s nasty changeup, proper?
Pitch 6
At 91.5 mph, Suarez’s changeup had about six to seven mph of velocity separation from his fastballs on this at-bat. However that wasn’t sufficient for Harper to be fooled. Even in swing mode and regardless of a career-high chase price of 35.5% this season, he noticed this completely executed pitch effectively sufficient to spit on it with no hesitation. From Suarez’s standpoint, this take is worrisome. Harper had been on the fastball sufficient the whole at-bat to warrant off-speed under the zone, however letting this pitch go by was an indication to not throw it once more; if the subsequent changeup lands within the strike zone, you’re in deep trouble.
Suarez didn’t have to return to the heater, however if you happen to’re actually studying swings and takes, there isn’t a means you return to the changeup. As this at-bat progressed, Harper solely regarded higher. The sound transfer for Suarez was to return to his greatest pitch and execute it in addition to he may.
Pitch 7
Now that may be a grasp class in hitting. At 98.9 mph, Suarez threw his quickest sinker of the at-bat, however six fastballs in seven pitches proved to be sufficient for Harper to really feel his backside hand get additional out within the hitting zone and ship a monumental swing and residential run.
The easiest hitters make pitch-to-pitch changes like we noticed right here from Harper. However not a single hitter within the sport was in a position to do what Harper did right here: hit a house run off a Robert Suarez sinker. A lot respect to probably the greatest hitters of this technology.
