Share Video
Lamet has been working on a curveball, The Athletic reports.
Lamet is the textbook example of a pitcher who needs another weapon in order to succeed long term as a starter. His 28.7 percent strikeout rate ranked 13th among pitchers who threw at least 100 innings, yet he posted just a 4.57 ERA. He threw his fastball and slider over 95 percent of the time combined, leaving him too predictable. Unsurprisingly, his ERA skyrocketed to 8.86 in his third time through the order, as he had nothing left to surprise hitters with. If he can develop a passable curveball (and throw his changeup more often, which he also hopes to do) he should be able to be effective deeper into his starts. While it's too early to know if the new pitch will work, keep an eye out for reports this spring. If the pitch is looking good, there could be reason to believe that Lamet will add a solid ERA to his excellent strikeout rate, making him an enticing sleeper candidate.
