Andrés Muñoz has been certainly one of baseball’s greatest relievers over the previous three seasons. Throughout that span, the Seattle Mariners right-hander has a 2.49 ERA, a 2.68 FIP, and a 34.7% strikeout charge over 176 video games, comprising 173 1/3 innings. Acquired from the San Diego Padres as a part of a seven-player commerce in August 2020, Muñoz missed the whole lot of that 12 months and all however the ultimate recreation of the 2021 season recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure. He posted a 2.12 ERA and 22 saves within the just-completed marketing campaign, each profession bests.
Muñoz’s M.O. on the mound is energy. Per Statcast, his four-seamer averaged 98.4 mph this season, whereas his two-seamer averaged 97.5 mph and his slider 87.6 mph. The speed — however not his general effectiveness — was really down from the earlier two years. In 2023, Muñoz’s four-seamer averaged 99.2 mph, and in 2022 it averaged 100.2 mph. His slider is his most-thrown pitch, and its pace has additionally ticked down a tad, though to not his detriment. With a caveat that his slider wasn’t all the time sharp this season, it elicited a .138 BAA, a .191 wOBA, and a 48.5% whiff charge.
The 25-year-old native of Los Mochis, Mexico sat down to speak about his repertoire and method at Fenway Park earlier this 12 months.
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David Laurila: The final time we talked, you informed me that you just’re a little bit of pitching nerd. To what extent?
Andrés Muñoz: “Sure. We’ve all this info, however I don’t wish to put all of it in my head. I attempt to make it easy. On the identical time, I wish to know the place to assault the hitters. The place are their weaknesses? I exploit that. Like all people, I wish to have the data, however by the point I’m on the mound, I’m not fascinated about all the data. I’m pondering extra about, ‘OK, the place am I alleged to throw the pitch?’ I really feel like that’s the neatest thing for me, to have a plan for each hitter.”
Laurila: What about your pitch profiles and how one can optimize them? I assume you take note of that if you’re not on a recreation mound.
Muñoz: “The coaches right here have helped me so much with that. Generally you don’t know issues. We’re clearly not excellent; we fail generally. I really feel just like the extra that we follow, the extra that we’re within the bullpen throwing and repeating the issues that offer you that muscle reminiscence it’s worthwhile to carry out the best way that you just wish to carry out… however sure, for instance, the slider. It really works higher when it goes side-to-side as a substitute of down. That’s one thing we now have to work on within the bullpen. We be sure that issues are getting into the best way that you really want.”
Laurila: Are you able to manipulate your slider in order that it will get both extra depth or extra side-to-side motion?
Muñoz: “Generally I can. Every single day is completely different. Generally we really feel that we will’t do this, however the extra you follow the simpler it’s to go there and make it transfer [to the] aspect, or make it transfer down.”
Laurila: When did you begin with the ability to do this?
Muñoz: “Most likely this 12 months. Earlier than it was extra down. I didn’t even take into consideration the motion. However once more, after I’m within the recreation I don’t take into consideration something. I’m simply throwing my pitches. However my unconscious, in a single a part of my thoughts, I already know what to do. Generally issues simply don’t work such as you need them to.”
Laurila: Have you ever modified the best way you throw your slider?
Muñoz: “Sure. I modified the grip. I threw it in another way in 2022. For some purpose, after the harm to my shoulder [in April 2023] it began to alter a bit of bit. I wasn’t in a position to find the slider that good. So we modified the grip. There’s extra in that one, but it surely’s more durable to find.”
Laurila: The one you’re throwing now’s more durable to find?
Muñoz: “Sure, as a result of it strikes extra. That’s the reason generally you see me miss an excessive amount of with the slider. It strikes so much. Generally we predict we’re throwing it the identical, but it surely strikes extra and is more durable to keep up the identical location.”
Laurila: You throw your slider fairly arduous…
Muñoz: “I attempt to throw it as arduous as I can. I really feel like that has been working for me. I don’t like to scale back depth on my pitches. After I don’t get forward within the rely, on the subsequent pitch I attempt to throw it more durable to remind me that… after I throw within the bullpen earlier than the sport, I attempt to throw as arduous as I can, simply to get that very same feeling. That manner it doesn’t shock me, like, ‘Oh, I used to be simply warming up and never throwing as arduous as I can’ after which I am going to the sport and it’s one other depth.”
Laurila: What was your repertoire if you first got here to professional ball?
Muñoz: “[Four-seam] fastballs and sliders.”
Laurila: Now you have got a two-seamer as effectively. When did you begin throwing that?
Muñoz: “I began to follow the two-seam on the finish of 2022. I didn’t do it as a result of I needed to throw it within the recreation; I simply did it as a result of they informed me that it will assist me a bit of bit with my four-seam. Understanding the distinction between the two-seam and the fastball… you’re making an attempt to throw it on the identical spot, however the ball strikes in another way. In 2023 was the primary time that I began throwing it in video games. It labored good, and this 12 months I got here in with these three pitches.”
Laurila: Do you get a lot trip in your four-seam?
Muñoz: “No, I don’t. It’s extra due to the pace that it appears like I’ve trip on it. After which the two-seam will get a bit of little bit of sink. It goes precisely like a fastball after which drops on the final second. That’s what will get me groundballs. I don’t use the two-seam to strike guys out; I exploit it for groundballs.”
Laurila: Have you ever ever had a curveball or a changeup?
Muñoz: “No. I’ve tried a curveball, but it surely by no means labored for me. I attempted to make use of a cutter too, but it surely goes extra like a slider for me. I’ve by no means actually tried a changeup.”
Laurila: Not even within the minors?
Muñoz: “I threw a changeup one time after I was with San Diego. They informed me to throw it like a fastball, so I gripped it like a changeup, threw it, and it went 96. That’s not a changeup. Possibly it’s one thing about my mechanics or the best way that I throw the ball, but it surely didn’t work for me.”
Laurila: The reliever for the Twins throws a splitter within the high-90s…
Muñoz: “Sure. Jhoan Duran. They name it a ‘splinker.’ Hopefully I can study one thing like that sooner or later, however proper now I’m simply concentrating on making my pitches one of the best that I can. The offseason is a time to work on issues, so possibly at some point. That was my mentality after I tried throwing a cutter in follow, however after two weeks I made a decision it didn’t work.”
Laurila: Circling again to your shoulder harm, did your arm slot change in any respect?
Muñoz: “Sure. My arm slot began to get extra down. That was why I began to throw extra two-seams. For some purpose the two-seam works higher when your arm is a bit of bit down. However proper now I’m simply making an attempt to make it easy.. I don’t take into consideration mechanics. I don’t take into consideration something. I simply attempt to be athletic.”
Laurila: Any ultimate ideas on pitching?
Muñoz: “My mentality is to assault all people. I’m going to go as arduous as I can. If I face one of the best hitter on the staff. after which the subsequent man comes up, I’m going to do the identical factor. Everyone right here is sweet, so you possibly can’t go simpler on anybody as a result of they aren’t one of the best. You need to be the identical man on the market and assault each hitter with the identical mentality. Even when it’s not the ninth inning after I’m on the market, if I’m pitching, I’m throwing as arduous as I can, and I’m throwing one of the best pitches that I can. Generally I’m going to fail, however I’m all the time going to attempt to do my greatest.”
