SAN DIEGO — Kyle Higashioka spent seven seasons catching for Aroldis Chapman, Gerrit Cole, and other pitchers known for their rare arms and high velocity. But in his first season with the Padres, the veteran catcher has been amazed by a new phenomenon.
Robert Suarez, the soft-spoken, hard-throwing closer for San Diego, has been consistently throwing high heat unlike any other pitcher in the majors. His fastball usage has increased by almost 30 percentage points since last season, with over 80 percent of his pitches being four-seamers that average 98.5 mph. He also mixes in his sinker (average of 97.9 mph) on close to 11 percent of his pitches. In an incredible eight-game stretch last month, Suarez threw 79 fastballs in a row.
“People don’t even do that in high school,” said Higashioka, who played against Cole in prep baseball more than a decade ago before they became teammates on the New York Yankees. “It’s pretty crazy.”
Despite his heavy reliance on fastballs, Suarez, 33, has been extremely successful this season. With a 0.52 ERA in 16 appearances, he leads the majors in games finished, saves, and saves of more than three outs. Opponents are hitting just .093 against his four-seamer and .250 against his changeup.
Suarez credits Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla for helping him use analytics to improve his pitches, particularly focusing on spin rate. This has allowed Suarez to execute more effectively on the mound.
Calibrating Suarez’s delivery has also been crucial to his success. After some adjustments during spring training, Suarez has found a rhythm that has led to his dominant performances on the mound.
Despite throwing mainly fastballs, Suarez’s ability to vary his delivery speed, hit his spots, and induce weak contact has kept hitters off balance. This has made him a formidable force out of the Padres’ bullpen.
As Suarez continues to excel with his high-speed approach, it remains to be seen if opponents will be able to adjust to his dominant fastball. For now, Suarez remains a key weapon for the Padres.
(Top photo of Robert Suarez: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)