The unexpected cromulence of Jordan Lyles

With 6 2/3 scoreless innings in Cleveland on Wednesday night, Jordan Lyles lowered his season ERA to 4.25 and raised his season innings to 152.1. Even for a guy known for being a workhorse, that innings total stands out. It’s Lyles’ second-highest season total ever, while his ERA is the third lowest he’s put up in 12 seasons, after 2018 and 2019, one of which Lyles spent working out of the bullpen.

Lyles did some very impressive things on Wednesday night that were typical of what he’s being able to achieve in 2022. To cash out that claim, let’s break down two at-bats from Wednesday’s game in a little more detail. During the second inning, Andrés Giménez stepped into the batter’s box against…