Colton Gordon may not dazzle in most of his starts, but he has assisted in bridging the gap in the starting rotation since his debut on May 14. All with a four-seam fastball averaging around 91 mph, which accounts for nearly 38% of his pitch usage. Only 23 qualified pitchers in baseball have a lower average four-seam velocity. While velocity remains supreme for pitchers, Gordon’s approach is a pleasant reminder that there are other ways to succeed on the mound. The question for him and the Astros is whether any success is sustainable.
Against the Guardians on Friday evening, Gordon certainly made the case that it could, as much as we can evaluate a one-game performance.