Phil Hughes' Stock Continues to Rise
The Minnesota have rounded the quarter pole of the 2014 season with a surprising 23-21 record.  The starting pitching has rebounded and no one embodies this change more than Phil Hughes. He’s already won five games this season after winning just four in 2013. Getting away from New York has been the catharsis many were hoping Phil Hughes would experience.
After giving up four runs in each of his first three starts this season, Hughes has risen to become one of the best starting pitchers in baseball. His increased use of the cut fastball is the difference. Hughes is throwing his 88+ mph cut fastball 24% of the time this year. In past seasons he’s never thrown it more than 13% of the time -- this is not to be confused with his 92 mph four seam fastball he throws 65% of the time.
Confidence throwing the hard stuff and just pounding the strike zone has become his calling card. Hughes has become comfortable enough with his pitches and the team behind him that even when a hitter does make contact he knows the fielders will do their job. All of this has created some pretty heady statistics from his last five starts:
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No walks in the last 33.1 innings
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MLB best ERA of 1.08 over the last 30 days
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He’s given up just one home run since April 20th.
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Second best WHIP (0.90) in the American League over the past 30 days.
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