Milwaukee Brewers: Jhoulys Chacin Pitching Well?

When the Milwaukee Brewers signed Jhoulys Chacin this offseason to be their number three pitcher, there were a lot of skeptics.

After three starts in a Milwaukee Brewers uniform, the number of skeptics grew. However, recent outings from Jhoulys Chacin might be instilling confidence that David Stearns knew what he was doing all along. As if we didn’t already know that.

So far, Chacin’s good and bad starts are split right down the middle. His first three were stuff of nightmares, whereas his the next three were wonderful. That makes it hard to put a finger on exactly what to expect from Chacin.

The Numbers

Tom Haudricourt gives the important numbers in the Tweet above. It has been night and day so far. His first three outings included two against the St. Louis Cardinals and one against the San Diego Padres. While the latter includes the New York Mets, Miami Marlins, and Kansas City Royals.

The only real difference in stats from the good performances and the not so good ones is homeruns. The longball bit him three times in his first two games, which did not bode well for the veteran righty. Though there was one home run hit in his most recent outing against the Royals.

Which One Is The Real Chacin?

Obviously there is a history for Chacin. We know he will sit closer to the low end of those numbers than the high end. He has been working on his changeup to make him more lethal, so maybe that is coming around. But I highly doubt it.

Chacin walked one batter against the Royals, which is the first one walk game he has posted all year. His four hits still show progress from his earlier games. Over recent seasons, Chacin’s kryptonite has been lefties and the longball. So far his four homeruns are split evenly between lefty and righty batters.

What Is Needed From Chacin?

Riding the hot hand as long as it will go for starters. The Milwaukee Brewers are playing well as a team and the pitching is a huge part of that. However, as Chacin comes back to Earth, things will become a lot different.

Next: Brandon Woodruff Recalled To The Bullpen?

Overall, if Chacin can be relied on to compete through six innings an outing, it is money well spent. He is not paid to be the staff ace, so he doesn’t need to be expected to shut teams down. The Milwaukee Brewers have a good offense. Chacin’s role is to save the bullpen as much as possible while keeping the offense in the game. A chance to win is all they need. So far, he is doing that job well.