Here's How San Francisco Giants Ace Has Turned Around His Season

San Francisco Giants ace Blake Snell has recently looked more like the two-time Cy Young award winner the team thought they were getting.

Aug 2, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

San Francisco Giants ace starting pitcher Blake Snell has been garnering headlines for more than a week. Leading into the 2024 MLB trade deadline, he was a popular name on the rumor mill as teams sought to upgrade their rotations.

The Giants opted to hold onto him, as they are going to make a run at one of the wild card spots. That created more headlines, but on Friday, Snell showed exactly what San Francisco didn’t want to get rid of him.

Against the Cincinnati Reds, the two-time Cy Young award winner threw a no-hitter. It was the first time in his career he pitched in the ninth inning and the third no-hitter in baseball this season.

That was his first win of the season, as the 2024 campaign got off to a brutal start for Snell. But, since going on the injured list in June and returning in July, he has looked like a totally different player.

Since returning on July 9th, Snell has made five starts, pitching 33 innings and allowing only eight hits with 10 walks and two earned runs. He has struck out 41 batters and has been unhittable.

What has led to the change in performance? R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports highlighted three factors that have contributed to the turnaround, one of which has been his pitch usage.

Snell is using his curveball considerably more often during this hot streak. He was throwing it around 20 percent of the time through June but has increased that percentage to about one-third of his pitches.

The increased curveball usage has led to fewer changeups and sliders being thrown, which opponents were hitting hard to start the season. Throwing your best pitch more often yielding more positive results makes a lot of sense.

Snell has done a much better job of locating his pitches recently. He is finding the zone a little more, which has improved his already strong whiff rate numbers. As shared by Anderson, hitters are expanding the zone on 36 percent of his pitches now.

Again, his curveball has been his best weapon. He generates chases at an elite level with it. Where he is locating his fastball has also helped considerably, as he is now up and in against righties instead of up and away, leading to worse contact.

Last but not least, Snell has finally gotten into a rhythm. Starting spring training late, as he didn’t sign a contract until March 19th, certainly put him behind the eight ball. Without a regular ramp-up to the regular season, he was out of whack to start the campaign.

He was placed on the injured list twice this season, once because of an adductor and the other because of his groin. Since returning from the groin injury, he has been stellar and is showing no signs of slowing down.