Bill Koch

Saturday

Sep 7, 2019 at 3:02 PM


BOSTON --- Friday night’s unexpected contribution from Jhoulys Chacin didn’t stop with his pitching performance.


The right-hander retired all six men he faced in his Red Sox debut to open a 6-1 victory over the Yankees. Chacin made his first appearance since July 24, his final outing with the Brewers before being released in August.


It was what Chacin said afterwards in the home clubhouse at Fenway Park that made more waves. Drawing a direct comparison between [...]

BOSTON --- Friday night’s unexpected contribution from Jhoulys Chacin didn’t stop with his pitching performance.

The right-hander retired all six men he faced in his Red Sox debut to open a 6-1 victory over the Yankees. Chacin made his first appearance since July 24, his final outing with the Brewers before being released in August.

It was what Chacin said afterwards in the home clubhouse at Fenway Park that made more waves. Drawing a direct comparison between a certain former teammate and someone on Boston’s roster will do that. Chacin was bold enough to mention two-time National League All-Star Josh Hader and Red Sox rookie left-hander Darwinzon Hernandez in the same sentence.

“I played with Hader,” Chacin said. “I’ve seen his fastball just rise. I see (Hernandez), and his fastball does pretty much the same. He just needs to stay healthy and take his approach every day to the field. He can be a really good pitcher.”

Hader finished seventh in the N.L. Cy Young Award voting last season. He entered Saturday with a combined 40 saves and 258 strikeouts in his last 144 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old has rocketed to prominence after being drafted by the Orioles and traded twice since 2013.

“Hader is one of the best – if not the best – left-handed relievers in the big leagues,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “It’s something that I know Darwinzon won’t get caught up in. He’s going to keep working. But if the fastball plays like that the rest of his career, we’ll take that.”

Hernandez turned in his 20th scoreless relief appearance on Friday, pitching the eighth inning. He’s flourished since being switched to a bullpen role, piling up 47 strikeouts and holding opponents to just 19 hits in 25 2/3 innings. Hernandez entered the season as the organization’s No. 3 prospect per Baseball America and has wasted no time establishing himself since being recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket on July 16.

“As soon as you can spin the ball, field your position and hold the running game, you’re good,” Cora said. “You’re ready to go to be a good reliever. If you don’t do that it’s tough. He showed us that.”

Hader averages 95.5 mph on his four-seamer this season, a tick above the 95.4 mph thrown by Hernandez. Batters swing and miss on the pitch 41.7 percent of the time against Hader compared to 38.5 percent of the time against Hernandez. But there’s one category that suggests Hernandez has room to potentially equal or surpass Hader’s dominance – spin rate.

Hernandez averages 2,356 rpm on his fastball to Hader’s 2,128 rpm. The difference that makes in a ball’s trajectory to the plate is a significant one. Hernandez’s fastball is more likely to stay up in the zone, tricking hitters visually with what they see as a rising effect.

“He throws that rising fastball and some guys just can’t catch up,” Chacin said. “I’ve talked to him a lot since I’ve been here. I want him to stay healthy and keep doing what he’s doing.”

Chacin and Hernandez are fellow Venezuelans, two of five presently on Boston’s 40-man roster. Fellow pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, catcher Sandy Leon and outfielder Gorkys Hernandez are all potential mentors for Hernandez as he finishes his first taste of September with the Red Sox.

“I do feel just being around here and doing everything right throughout the day as far as preparation and all the things it takes to make it as a big leaguer, he’s doing it,” Cora said. “You talk to the veterans and they’re very happy with the way he goes about his business, and that’s very important.”

 

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On Twitter: @BillKoch25