Jake Arrieta used to get batters out by blasting them with sinkers, sliders, and curves. Occassionaly would he throw a changeup — four times for every 100 pitches — but he’s been utilizing the tailing pitch twice as often this year.
Even more specifically, Arrieta is frequently using the change as a follow-up to sinkers. While the former Cy Young winner threw a changeup after a sinker 68 times in 2016, he had already used that combo 58 times prior to Sunday’s shut-down start.
Although Arrieta is using the sinker/changeup combination more, it’s still the sixth most popular pitch duo he’s employed so far in the season.