New Arm Slot, New Outlook For Stankiewicz

BOSTON—The Red Sox saw a lot they liked early in the career of righthander Teddy Stankiewicz.

The 2013 second-rounder proved to be one of the most durable pitchers in the system, logging 140 or more innings in both 2014 and 2015. He rarely walked batters, averaging just 1.9 free passes per nine innings. He showed a fastball that sat comfortably in the 90s—and would touch 96 mph—as part of a four-pitch mix that he could throw for strikes.

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But Stankiewicz’s pitch mix lacked the sort of action to generate swings and misses, particularly in 2015, when an experiment with a lower arm slot left him with a flat arsenal that didn’t miss enough barrels.

Midway through a 5-11, 4.01 season at  high Class A Salem in which he struck out just 4.9 batters per nine innings, he recognized the need to return to the higher arm slot he used at Seminole State (Okla.) JC, but he couldn’t break the habit in the heat of the season.

“For me, the lower arm slot wasn’t as good,” said Stankiewicz, 22. “I would release the pitches high and they’d sink right back to the middle. It’s a lot easier to hit a high sinker because it goes right to the bat.

“For me, it’s better to have a higher arm slot to create more angle and get to the lower part of the strike zone, instead of trying to sling it in there.”

With a more traditional three-quarters arm slot this season at Double-A Portland, Stankiewicz has created better angle on all of his pitches, most notably his slider, which has featured the tilt and depth to miss bats.

Through four starts of six innings each, Stankiewicz had a 1.12 ERA with 6.8 strikeouts and just 1.5 walks per nine, and he had yet to allow a homer. If the uptick in stuff is sustainable, then it could give him a chance to stick as a starter going forward.

“This is probably the best I’ve felt—period,” Stankiewicz said. “Everything is in sync, working together. I can throw every pitch for strikes. It’s just a really nice feeling to have.”

SOX YARNS

• The Red Sox optioned catcher Blake Swihart to Triple-A Pawtucket with the intention of having him refine his skills behind the plate and also learn to play left field.

• Low Class A Greenville third baseman Michael Chavis got off to a .356/.415/.576 start through 15 games, but he suffered a left thumb injury on April 23.