Chad Green Dominating The Way Chapman Once Did

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Published on September 5 2017 6:25 am
Last Updated on September 5 2017 6:26 am

Chad Green has worked his way into becoming the crucial third man in the Yankees' bullpen mix.

                                                                                                   Evan Habeeb/USA TODAY Sports

By ESPN

BALTIMORE -- New York Yankees up-and-coming reliever Chad Green is making the league minimum $535,000 -- nearly $17 million less than the club's former closer, current mop-up man Aroldis Chapman. Green, though, is the one dominating in a way Chapman once did.

The 26-year-old has developed into, to use his manager Joe Girardi’s term, a weapon. He is pitching well enough that when you talk about the Yankees’ three-headed monster of relievers, currently led by Dellin Betances and David Robertson, Green could be swapped out for Chapman.

On Labor Day, the Yankees found a way to keep the heat on the Boston Red Sox in large part due to Green. Girardi was able to leverage the right-handed Green in the fifth inning to face Baltimore Orioles MVP candidate Jonathan Schoop in what might have been the most important at-bat of Monday's 7-4 win.

Girardi went to Green, despite the fact that his starter, rookie Jordan Montgomery, had settled down and was an out away from being in position to be the winning pitcher. While sabermatricians might want to kill the win, starters still kill for them. But Girardi couldn’t care less. Schoop had unsuccessfully faced Green five times before, including two strikeouts.

“You don’t want to waste that weapon when you’ve got it,” Girardi said.

So Girardi didn’t, and Green didn’t waste any time. He pumped his four-seam fastball that the league can’t seem to figure out, mixing in one cutter before getting Schoop to fly out to right on a 97-mph heater.

Green took the win as the Yankees cooled the Orioles’ jets. Green retired all seven batters he faced, four on strikeouts. He improved to 3-0, while his ERA dipped under 2.00. He has struck out 90 in 59⅓ innings, which is Betances-like.

Green’s success has been rooted in a fastball that everyone from catcher Austin Romine to pitching coach Larry Rothschild says jumps. It is scientifically impossible for a fastball to gain speed 57 feet or so into its 60-foot, 6-inch journey from a pitcher’s hand to the plate. But Green's, at least by perception, does.

“The scientist should stand up at the plate,” Rothschild said.

Rothschild said it is the deception of the way Green strides and the ease with which he throws the ball that makes his fastball play up.

“It jumps at the end,” Romine said.

Whatever it does, it has helped allow Girardi to avoid using Chapman in important moments. Green’s development also highlights how foolish it was to bestow five years and $86 million on Chapman. Relievers can be developed -- especially these days, as everyone seemingly throws mid-90s or better -- and so bestowing five years and tens of millions on one is not wise.

That doesn’t really matter at the moment, but it is interesting to note that if Chapman doesn’t find his form, Girardi could turn to Green, a righty, in more big spots instead of the lefty Chapman. Green is equally dominant against righties and lefties, as opponents are hitting less than .150 on either side.

“It's fun to catch,” Romine said.

Green was in the fifth-starter competition this spring, but he has found his groove in the bullpen -- at least for this season.

“I’m happy right now,” Green said. “We’ll worry about that later.”

In the here and now, as the Yankees try to catch Boston in the division, or at least hang onto their top position in the wild-card race, and possibly make some playoff noise, Chad Green might be more vital to the bullpen than Aroldis Chapman.