Cincinnati Reds’ starting pitcher Amir Garrett goes from ace to snake bitten

The Cincinnati Reds’ ace for the first six weeks of the season, Amir Garrett, has become snake bitten of late.

Amir Garrett was the ace for the Cincinnati Reds to start the season.  After six starts Garrett was 3-2 with a 4.25 ERA.  That included his only bad start of the season to that point.  It made his decision to quit basketball for baseball look good.

Six starts into the season he was averaging six innings per start to lead the team.  He was also averaging 91 pitches including 58 strikes per game.  At the time he left for his Louisville “vacation” Garrett also led the team in strikeouts.

Garrett, unfortunately, came back a changed man.  Since he came back, Garrett has only pitched six innings once.  Three times in five starts out he has allowed more than five earned runs.

Since his return from Louisville, Garrett is averaging 3 2/3 innings pitched.  In those same five starts he is averaging 78 pitches and 49 strikes.  You may point out that he left his start in Los Angeles against the Dodgers when he hurt his hand, but that is similar to his one bad outing among his first six starts.

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During his first six starts, 64% of his pitches were strikes.  During his last five, 63% of his pitches were strikes.  He is still throwing strikes as he did when he was a success.

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Amir Garrett had a normal start for him the last time out for the Cincinnati Reds against the San Diego Padres.

The last time out, Amir Garrett finally looked like the Amir Garrett from the first six weeks of the season.  He started against the Padres in the third game of a three game sweep by San Diego.  That’s right, despite a solid start by Garrett, the Reds lost.

Garrett throw a season high 103 pitches, including his second most strikes at 70.

He only allowed 2 runs over six innings of work.  Unfortantely, he also gave up a home run and saw his batting average against raise to a season high .268.

The other negative is that his WHIP is ballooning.  This is important because that is what kept him from being dominant at the minor league level.  When he went to Louisville for a break he had a WHIP of 1.19, but now it is 1.50.

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Of course, Garrett also spent some time on the DL since his return.  He had a hip injury that was costing him velocity and location.  A return from that injury, though, hasn’t made him whole again and the Reds need the complete package from their young ace to compete in the second half.