Curious how Ryan is allowed to extend and when. Today, Against the Cubs, coming into the 6th with 88 pitches, ahead 7-0, and cruising, he is allowed to pitch the 6th, and stretch out, finishing the 6th with 102 pitches.
Two starts ago, he was very economical and cruising against the White Sox, pitching a 1 hit shutout, and entered the 6th with only 69 pitches, and finished it with only 87. (He did have a 12 pitch walk to Anderson who was than doubled off in a DP, and had thrown 60 strikes in 87 pitches total). But it is a close game, with a brand new 1-0 lead, and he is not allowed to pitch the 7th with one less pitch thrown than he entered the 6th with today, even though he is throwing a one hit shutout! A "fresh" Jorge Lopez was put in the game instead, and he deGrom'd Ryan in only 8 pitches, and gave up the dinger to Jimenez after a single to Vaughn.
So in the close game, he is not given the confidence of the bench, and pulled, throwing a one hitter with only 87 pitches, but with a comfortable lead and also cruising, he is extended at 88 and allowed to finish the 6th with 102. Which is great. But it makes his removal 2 starts ago even more curious. Doesn't make sense to me. The close game one-hitter, I give him the ball to start the next inning. He is my guy. He earned it. Maybe there is more to it. Maybe he said he was finished, I don't know. (Drop in velo concern against the Sox? Just looking at some fastballs here..... 91.1-92.6 on the severval Ryan threw to Anderson in the 6th. 1st inning: 92.9-95. 3rd inning 91.6-93.6. 5th inning he only threw 3 fast balls, 91.1, 91.2, and 91.3 and finished the inning with 69 pitches. Other than the amped up first, Ryan had a little more gas in the 6th than the 5th, about the same. And he was throwing a one-hitter...... only 2 walks.) But with what I do know, it would be my decision to let Ryan pitch. He deserved it. He certainly didn't deserve Lopez's so called relief.