Starter Spotlight: Let’s Get Randy, Baby!

5-3-2025 – By Michael Castrignano – @412DoublePlay on X

Through very different ways, the Pirates were able to get Dylan Cease and Fernando Tatís Jr out of the game early last night; however, they were unable to capitalize as they lost once again. Today, they will square off against Randy Vasquez as they try to get the series back on track.

It’s hard to be successful when you walk more batters than you strikeout but that is the play Vasquez is trying to navigate as both his walks (19) and earned runs (13) are higher than his K total this season (10). In fact, no pitcher with at least 20 innings this season is even close to his K-BB%.

Control has been a persistent issue for the 26-year old righty as, over his 163 major league innings pitched, he has 66 walks, 12 hit by pitches and 9 wild pitches – along with 3 balks in his career.

He had a solid showing the last time San Diego came to town in August as he pitched 5.2 innings allowing 3 runs off 6 hits with 1 walk and 3 strikeouts.

Vasquez has a rather diverse mix of pitches as he throws 3 different fastballs – cutter/4-seam/sinker – in the low-90s, as well as a low-80s sweeper, low-80s curve and a high-80s changeup as he limits hard contact and gets good results on the breaking balls.

Approach today is gonna be not to swing and to hold off for something middle-middle to drive. Opponents have a .227/.352/.341 slash line first time they face Vasquez compared to .159/.275/.182 second time around so time to get on base and around to score is early on in the game.

When hitters swing, they should target his cutter up in the zone as lefties are hitting .375 against the offering while righties are batting .429 against the pitch.

See pitches, take walks and ambush high heat. Chance to even up the series today but Bucs need the bats to take advantage.