Guardians Did the Right Thing in Optioning McKenzie
It’s hard to admit when you need help. As an admitted and addicted people pleaser, the words “Can you help me?” choke in the throat like I’ve been lost amongst the dunes of Arrakis. And I’m simply a nobody assistant tech director in Podunk, Ohio with an anxiety disorder and probably some AuDHD that hasn’t been diagnosed; imagine what it’s like to be a major league baseball player who’s finally seeing good things on the radar gun but you only get a glimpse of the read out because the batted ball keeps whizzing by your face in the opposite direction, with most of them going over the fence.
The Cleveland Guardians optioned Triston McKenzie back to the minors on Sunday, activating Gavin Williams and designating for assignment Darren McCaughan. McKenzie has, famously and publicly, admitted he questioned his decision to not get Tommy John surgery last year and rather pitch through the injury, opting for rest and recovery. It was apparent early on that the decision was dicey at best and wrong at worst. The man they call Sticks was missing not just velocity but spots too, with his command taking a dip and causing him to have a league-leading BB% of 14.4. The results have lead McKenzie to be amongst the worst pitchers in the league despite a better-than-you’d-expect K% (21.8).
The velocity has climbed throughout the season for Triston, indicated by his last start showing that his fastball was averaging 93.2 on the gun. However, as you can see in the heat map presented by Baseball Savant, the heater is centrally located, meaning he’s been throwing it down the gullet and trying to get back in the at-bat after missing with secondary offerings and hitters are crushing him.
When almost 50% of your pitches are that close to the middle of the zone and have early velocity numbers that you can almost easily attain on any highway in America, you’re gonna get pounded. But here’s the thing: all signs point to command being an issue, not an injury as most of #GuardosTwitter would have you believe. The velocity, while low to start, has been climbing steadily, and it doesn’t do that if you are hurt. The issue with McKenzie this season has been command: he’s gotten behind hitters because he’s been unable to locate his secondary offerings and they have been sitting dead red because he’s had to get back in counts going over the heart of the plate. He can still break off a curveball, yes, but when it’s all you have and it’s nigh unhittable, batters aren’t swinging at it. The command issues likely stem from having to pitch with different mechanics due to the injury he suffered, not some recurring spike in the forearm, as evidenced by the option being used and not an IL move.
Moving McKenzie to the minors is a tough ask of and for him, but I applaud all involved for finding a solution to the problem at hand. The organization didn’t hide behind some injury, real or made up, and place McKenzie on the injured list, further deepening the thoughts amongst the chattering fanbase that not getting surgery was a mistake. McKenzie knows he’s struggling and moving to the minors where he can clear his head and work on things without hurting the big club is the best course of action. Being the gamer he is and trying to do whatever he can to help the team win, you know it hurts his heart not to be up there helping, but as we all just learn, sometimes we just need to take a breath and ask for help. Getting McKenzie out of the starting rotation and allowing him to destroy around some AAA hitters for a bit might be the best thing for him to get back on track.
