Giants reliever Tyler Rogers and his infamous rising slider have perplexed MLB hitters throughout the 2021 season. Leading the NL in appearances this season, Rogers was a first-time All-Star as he held offenses to a 2.22 ERA.
Rogers' low pitch angle and landing spot are unique across MLB, as this wild stat demonstrates.
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There have been pitchers like Chad Bradford who have utilized a low release angle in the past, but no one has been able to make a pitch rise up the zone like Rogers has done so far this season.
Rogers' proficiency has him ranking among the league's best pitchers in a number of advanced statistics. Of all pitchers with at least 200 batters faced this season, Rogers has the lowest barrel rate per plate appearance in the league.
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The Giants face a winner-take-all Game 5 of the NLDS on Thursday night at Oracle Park, and it won't be surprising to see Rogers' name called in a high-leverage situation in the late innings.
San Francisco Giants
In keeping with his regular-season pace, Rogers has appeared in three of the four NLDS games so far. In 2 2/3 innings, Rogers has allowed three hits and one walk but no runs have crossed the plate.
Look for Gabe Kapler to turn to Rogers and that lethal rising slider at some point Thursday night, and don't be surprised if he continues the success he has seen all year against a Los Angeles Dodgers lineup that has been kept in check for the most part this series.