The Los Angeles Dodgers shut out the New York Mets in the second game of their doubleheader, wrapping up a two-game sweep to open their three-game set at Citi Field.
Gavin Stone blanked the Mets over seven shutout innings, throwing 72% strikes while allowing just three hits. The 25-year-old rebounded from his last start and now owns a 3.16 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP over 57 innings.
Stone’s maturation this season is definitely one of the bright spots on the current roster, after he’s entrenched himself as one of the top arms in the starting rotation.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts discussed what made Stone so successful against the Mets, per Juan Toribio of MLB.com:
“In the second game, Gavin was fantastic. He really was,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “I thought he and [catcher Austin Barnes] were in lockstep all night long. Didn’t threaten at all. Got a lot of quick outs, swing and miss. His command with the fastball at the bottom of the zone was good all night long. Mixed in a lot of good changeups.”
Stone’s seven strikeouts were the highest total in a single outing in his big league career, adding to an already stellar sophomore campaign:
“I felt good,” Stone said. “Command was good and the offspeed was good, too. Felt good coming out of my hand.”
Stone’s usage is the most intriguing part of his game, after being known for his changeup as his primary pitch, he leaned heavily on his sinker on Tuesday.
Throwing 35 sinkers, 16 four-seam fastballs, 14 sliders, 11 cutters, 10 changeups and one curveball, Stone has a developed pitch-mix that kept the Mets out of plus-counts. The Dodgers seemed to have figured out how to deploy him, and he’s consistently built on starts prior.
Where does Gavin Stone rank among starters this season
In his sophomore campaign, Stone currently ranks 32nd among qualified starters in ERA, and among the top 40 pitchers in that category, he’s tied for the lowest strikeouts with Colorado Rockies starter Austin Gomber.
His WHIP ranks 43rd in Major League Baseball, and he’s currently third on the Dodgers’ roster in innings pitched.
At this rate, Stone will be in serious contention for a postseason start when the calendar turns to playoff baseball, even ahead of several veterans on the roster.
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