After he walked five on opening day, Hernandez knew something had to change. So he took pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre’s advice to throw off a mound between starts.
CLEVELAND — Felix Hernandez hasn’t been pleased with how he has pitched this season and isn’t afraid to change his routine to fix it.
The Mariners’ ace threw a bullpen session Wednesday in preparation for his start Friday night vs. the Angels in Anaheim, Calif.
In previous years, Hernandez had eschewed throwing off a mound for a “flat ground” session on the middle day between outings. But with 13 walks, a hit batter and wild pitch in 18 innings this season, Hernandez is throwing mid-start bullpen sessions in hope of finding consistency with his mechanics and command.