DUNEDIN, Fla. — The Phillies asked each pitcher to try something new this spring. Throw your change-up to lefthanders or rely on your slider more. For Nick Pivetta, it was simple: elevate your fastball.
The righthander averaged a 94.7 mph fastball last season but the majority of his targets were in the middle or lower half of the strike zone. The Phillies told him to watch Justin Verlander, who finds success by regularly throws his fastball high in the zone and with a ridiculous spin rate.
“A key point that they brought to me was how Verlander pitched in the playoffs,” Pivetta said after allowing a run on Friday in his first two innings of spring training.