Uni-Lions’ Reliable Closer is Broken?
The Uni-Lions’ 28-year-old closer Chen Yun-Wen’s pitching has taken a notable downturn over the past month (5-game outings across July, 2024).
Despite already having a phenomenal 150 career saves, Chen Yun-Wen has struggled recently. Since June 29, when he failed to finish an inning for the first time this season, he has posted an ERA of 11.37 and a 2.53 WHIP, a concerning stat line for a closer.
The Lions’ starting rotation currently boasts an impressive ERA of 2.54, significantly better than the second-place Dragons’ rotation ERA of 3.29. However, their relief pitchers have only a slightly above-average ERA of 4.37. With Chen’s recent instability, the gap between the rotation and the bullpen is widening, placing more pressure on the starters knowing that they will likely not able to get reliable support from the bullpen.
Uni-Lions’ 陳韻文 (Chen Yun-Wen) recorded his 150th career save in the #CPBL. pic.twitter.com/IdvpkCRbdr
— CPBL STATS 🪬🔮 (@GOCPBL) June 8, 2024
Fastball Command Issue?
For years, Chen has dominated the league with his fastball (FF) and forkball (FO). Before June 29, about 46% of his fastballs were swung at, with a whiff% of 20%. However, over the past month, his fastballs are being swung at more (62%), but the whiff rate has decreased (11%). This could suggest that his fastball command has worsened or that batters find it easier to identify his pitches.
Additionally, the average velocity of both his pitches has dropped by about 2 kph. While the radar gun in Taipei Dome is known to read a lot slower than those in other ballparks, Chen has only pitched three innings there, representing just 1/8 of his total innings pitched. This drop in velocity should be the early warning for the Uni-Lions to seek another reliable closer, as slower pitches are generally easier for batters to hit.
Another concerning trend is the increase in fly balls against Chen. Since June 29, only 10% of the batted balls have been ground balls. This could be due to the high swing rate and low whiff% on his fastball.
Uni-Lions fans are undoubtedly hoping for Chen Yun-Wen will return to his old form given the current state of the team’s bullpen. However, the drop in velocity and increased contact on his fastball suggest potential signs of slight regression.
Note: The stats were provided by the wonderful REBAS Sports.
