The Phillies' pitching staff to start the season didn't see as much turnover as the position players. The Phils return all five of their starting pitchers from 2018, and five of the eight relievers were with them last season.
Yesterday, we went over some of the most interesting notes and facts about the Phillies' position players. Today, pitchers.
Aaron Nola
Nola last season was one of only 10 pitchers in the last 34 years with an ERA (2.37) and opponents' batting average (.197) so low in at least 210 innings. The only two to accomplish it last season were Nola and Jacob deGrom.
Nola threw more first-pitch strikes last season than anyone in baseball.
Nick Pivetta
Pivetta's 4.77 ERA was a full run higher than any starting pitcher in baseball who had a strikeout rate and walk rate as good or better. His K and BB rates were among the best in the league.
Jake Arrieta
Arrieta led the National League with a groundball rate of 51.6 percent. Nola was second at 50.6.
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Zach Eflin
Eflin nearly doubled his strikeout rate last season, from 4.9 per nine innings in 2017 to 8.6 last season. No other pitcher with a strikeout rate so low in 2017 was above 6.6 in 2018.
Vince Velasquez
Of Velasquez's 69 starts as a Phillie, 33 have lasted longer than five innings.
Seranthony Dominguez
His .157 opponents' batting average last season was third-best in the NL, behind only Josh Hader and Reyes Moronta.
David Robertson
Robertson's calling card is his cutter, but his curveball has held lefties to a .103 batting average since his debut in 2008.
Pat Neshek
Neshek has not allowed a run in 66 of his 73 appearances as a Phillie - that's 90 percent.
Hector Neris
From Aug. 1 on, Neris struck out 51 percent of the batters he faced, best in the majors.
Adam Morgan
Morgan pitched the exact same number of innings before and after the All-Star break last season (24⅔). In the second half, he had a 2.55 ERA and allowed one home run in 28 appearances.
Juan Nicasio
What a strange season Nicasio is coming off of. He had a 6.00 ERA despite 53 strikeouts and just five walks. It was an example of when pounding the strike zone goes wrong. His opponents hit .308 with a .500 slugging percentage.
Jose Alvarez
Moving reliever Luis Garcia for a legit lefty specialist was a sneaky-good move by Phillies GM Matt Klentak. Alvarez last season held lefties to a .206 batting average and .265 OBP.
Over the last two seasons, Alvarez has 60 strikeouts and 10 walks against lefties.
Edubray Ramos
Ramos' slider can be quite a weapon. He threw that pitch 57 percent of the time last season and it held his opponents to a .167 opponents' batting average. That pitch ended 102 at-bats and only three of those sliders ended up as extra-base hits.
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