Baseball analytics geeks aren’t the only ones who have noticed in an increase in the velocity of Max Scherzer’s pitches this season.
The Nationals ace hopes the uptick in speed helps when he starts Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the National League Division Series at Nationals Park.
“Yeah, I’ve noticed it,” he said Sunday. “I’ve had some fun with the other guys in the clubhouse … the old guy can still throw hard. But for me it’s just a mentality of just going out there with everything on the line.
“The atmospheres I’ve pitched in, here with the wild card game and then there on the road in Dodger Stadium, I mean it’s been intense,” he said. “So you’re going to get the best out of me.”
The average speed of Scherzer’s four-speed fastball this year is 95.1 mph, up from 94.7 in 2018, according to fangraphs.com.
The MLB average is 93.4. Scherzer’s other yearly averages while with Nationals: 94.8 in 2015, 95.2 in 2016 and 94.2 in 2017.
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