Pomeranz Adds a Cutter
Drew Pomeranz has pitched in the Major Leagues from 2011 through the present and until this year only featured 2.5 pitches, a fastball, a great curveball that he will throw at any time and in any count, and a seldom used change-up. It is hard to work through a line-up multiple times with only two legitimate pitches, and that is the reason that Pomeranz has been a relatively unsuccessful pitcher until this season.
In Spring Training, a minor-league pitcher taught Pomeranz how to throw a cut-fastball, and it is the addition of said pitch to his repertoire that has enabled Pomeranz’s escalation from a fringe Major League pitcher to an All-Star pitcher.
In addition, as displayed in the chart below, Pomeranz had colossal lefty/righty splits prior to learning the cutter. From 2011 through 2015, he had tremendous difficulties with right-handed batters; however, the addition of the cutter in 2016 has provided him with the weaponry necessary to attack right-handed hitters. The staggering results are demonstrated in the chart below:
| Vs. Right-Handed Batters | Pomeranz 2011-2015 | Pomeranz 2016 |
| FIP | 4.68 | 2.95 |
| ISO | 0.164 | 0.123 |
| BB% | 11.3 | 9.0 |
| K% | 18.0 | 31.0 |
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