Ryan Brasier

Only giving up four fly balls (one of them resulting in a home-run), Brasier’s changeup was a tad unlucky last year with a .333 BABIP. Braiser used the pitch to try and get swings out of the zone but had trouble, only garnering an O-Swing of 26.4%.

Brasier’s fastball was slightly below-average in 2019 as it was worth -0.6 pVAL. It was probably should have been worse, as he gave up 45.5% flyballs and his xSLG was 0.106 higher than his SLG (.454 SLG to .560 xSLG).

Easily Brasier’s best pitch, his slider was an elite strikeout pitch, generating a 20.7% swinging-strike rate. It garnered the most swings-and-misses outside of the zone of his career and was worth 4.7 pVAL. It sliced through hitters like cutting through a nice slice of braise(r)d beef.

Brasier throws the four-seamer about half the time, and it pairs well with the slider. It had a healthy 8.5 pitch value and allowed a paltry .123 average. If Brasier takes over as closer for Boston, it will be because of the fastball/slider combo.

The slider is Brasier’s No. 2 pitch, working off his 97 mph fastball. The pitch had a nice chase rate and whiff rate, though hitters did occasional damage when it was put in play (.229 ISO).

Brasier’s sinker is easily his third pitch in terms of usage. It piled up strikes and was often put in play when in the zone.

Brasier hardly threw any changeups across 34 appearances last season. It generated a high percentage of whiffs in a small sample.