Rockies starter Kyle Freeland, like so many other pitchers who’ve come before him, didn’t think he needed to throw a changeup. He didn’t want to throw the pitch. He didn’t trust it.
Now the changeup has become the left-hander’s best friend.
After four starts, Freeland is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA. In his previous three seasons, Freeland had never thrown the changeup more than 14% of the time. This season, Freeland is using it 32.5% of the time — and throwing it on any count.
“He went through his hard knocks with that pitch, but he’s put in such good work with it, that now he’s confident in the pitch,” said bullpen coach Darryl Scott, who’s been instrumental in Freeland’s metamorphosis.