Diamondbacks at Pirates: 5 Players To Watch
Aug 11, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson (58) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Hellickson has been inconsistent lately for the Diamondbacks. He is going to have to be at his best if the teams is going to have any chance of beating Cole and the Pirates tonight.
Hellickson is coming off his best start of the season against the Phillies when he pitched eight innings allowing just one earned run. His previous two starts were a struggle. He gave up ten earned runs in just eight innings.
The key to Hellickson’s success is his command and control of his off-speed pitches. His curveball has developed into one of the best pitches in baseball.
According to Fan Graphs, among pitchers that have thrown their curveball at least 300 times, Hellickson has a spin rate of 1,694 RPM, good for 8th in all of baseball.
According to Brooks Baseball, opposing hitters are batting just .173 against that pitch with a .212 slugging percentage. He has thrown it 19.3% of the time, the highest rate of his career, and he has generated a 16.20 whiff percentage.
Using a knuckle-curve grip, the pitch has generated a 12-6 movement.