Ty Blach wasn’t given the easiest task at the start of the 2018 season: Go toe-to-toe with the best pitcher in baseball, Clayton Kershaw, in two of his first three starts. Blach, however, exceeded expectations in both outings, giving up just a total of two runs in 11 innings of work while facing off against Kershaw.
Blach’s spot at the top of the rotation is due to the spring training injury to Madison Bumgarner’s pitching hand, that has him on the shelf for at least another month. Blach won’t keep that spot no matter how well he pitches when Bumgarner returns, but looks like a lock to stay in the rotation for the remainder of the season.
Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow joined Murph & Mac on Monday, and broke down what Blach has managed to accomplish in his first three starts of the season.
“He’s smart, he’s a good athlete,” Krukow said. “I don’t think he had great stuff yesterday. I think he found a way to get it done, which is what smart good athletes do, and yes indeed he does trust the defense. I’ll tell you what happens when you’re a young pitcher — and the most important thing for a young pitcher is to get the team to believe that when you go out there, they have a chance to win — and then the next step is to get them to believe that when you go out there, they know they are going to win. The beautiful thing about it is when the team gets that attitude, it comes back to you. So you are in charge of a lot of these things when you go out there and step on that mound, and when you earn that trust from your team it comes back to you, and it gives you a confidence. ‘If they believe in me, then I’m not going to let them down.’
Ironically, Blach is the polar opposite of Kershaw from a stylistic standpoint, relying on location and ground balls to get hitters out, rather than blowing them away with great stuff. The ability to dominate the potent Dodgers lineup regardless, has helped earn the respect and trust of his teammates.
“It’s the responsibility that you hope to get, and he has earned it,” Krukow said. “And he’s earned it against the best pitcher in the National League, many will argue, Kershaw. He has stood tall against this guy and has taken full grasp of the opportunity. To a degree, those four starts that he’s had against him has completely given him his confidence at the big league level. Is his stuff overwhelming? No, but it’s effective. He’s got late movement, he’s got location, he works quick pace, he will not give into a fastball count, he will throw anything at any time, and he’s stubborn enough to believe he can get you out. And that is a quality that is going to serve him well for a long time. He’s going to pitch in this game for a long time. He’ll do many things, but I think you look at Ty Blach and that’s a guy that has a chance to pitch until he’s 40.”
Listen to the full interview below. To hear Krukow on Blach, start from the 5:00 mark.