Despite his recent struggles, he has still put together a terrific season so far. He is 5-4 with a 2.78 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. He is averaging about 1.14 K per inning with a small uptick to 1.15 on the road. He currently sits in the 77th percentile in K%, 76th percentile in whiff%, and the 100th percentile in chase rate.
I have written several articles about Kevin this season, and frequently highlighted his splitter. It may very well be my favorite pitch in the league. It is the main reason players chase his pitches more than any other pitchers in the league. Opposing batters have a .171 BA against it with 50 K and a 44.5% whiff rate. He also has a terrific slider he uses often vs right handed batters, and sprinkles in a changeup here and there.
Detroit is a great option against right handed pitchers. Over the last 30 days, they have the 3rd worst K% vs right handed pitching. They have the 7th worst contact percentage on pitches inside the zone. Best stat yet, they have the league highest chase rate mixed with the 6th worst contact percentage of chased pitches. A brutal combo against a pitcher like Gausman. Detroit also has a terrible offense that will struggle to knock Kevin out of this game. I love his chances to pick up 7+ strikeouts.
