Given how little starting pitching seems to count anymore, I’m thinking of changing direction with these posts. The graph at this spreadsheet shows how the number of outs recorded by starters fell since the introduction of the third round of playoffs in 1995. In that year, the average post-season starting pitcher recorded 18.9 outs per start. Here is 2021, that average is down to 12.5 outs per start. The pitcher starting the game is on average pitching two fewer innings. There is a persistent downward trend, that really accelerates after 2015. This was two years before the Rays started using an opener strategy. Game one of the ALCS featured two pitchers who are starters, not openers. Both record just eight outs. The post season has become the cavalcade of relief.

Boston sends Nathan Eovaldi against the Astros and Luis Garcia in game two of the ALCS. In 2020, Garcia made a start in the post-season and lasted two innings, despite giving up no hits and no runs. This season, he lasted 2 2/3 innings in his ALDS start, but he deserved to be removed after allowing five runs. Evoaldi pitched extremely well in the 2021 post-season so far, owning a 2.61 ERA in two starts, striking out 16 batters, walking one, and allowing just seven hits. He pitched just 10 1/3 innings in his games, however. Maybe that’s why his numbers are do good, but when teams go to the bullpen often, they do risk finding the pitcher who is going to have a bad day.

Mad Max will be throwing out the first pitch in the NLCS as the Dodgers send Max Scherzer the Braves and Max Fried. Even Scherzer is prone to be pulled early in the playoffs, as he went just 4 1/3 innings in the wild card game. He did come back to pitch seven innings in the NLDS, for a total of two runs allowed in 11 1/3 innings, plus his relief appearance. Fried went six innings in his one start this year, shutting out the Brewers on three hits. At 81 pitches, however, this still seems like an early hook for no good reason.

Enjoy!