ARLINGTON, Texas — The changeup is a humble pitch, a complementary character by definition, by dint of its origins. It was never supposed to be the star, was never supposed to lead the way. Yet sometimes, the unexpected is exactly what a situation calls for.
Arizona Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly — who threw the pitch more than any other offering while stifling the Texas Rangers across seven innings of one-run ball to win World Series Game 2 on Saturday — makes for a fine changeup advocate.
Slow to arrive but mightily effective, the 35-year-old right-hander toiled in the minors and played four seasons in Korea, honing his craft before impressing scouts enough to return to the States and make his MLB debut in 2019 at age 30.