Brandon Pfaadt Enters Camp With Same Mindset as Last Year

Entering the 2023 season, Brandon Pfaadt was on the outside looking in for a starting rotation spot. A year later, he's locked into a rotation spot thanks to a strong second-half finish and postseason run. While he's entering the year with the same mindset as a year ago, he acknowledges the ramp-up to the season to be different.

"Last year I came in ready to go in January, it felt like, just trying to make the team. I think this year it's slow-played a little bit, but we'll certainly get up to the point where we're ramped up and ready to go this season."

While assured a rotation spot, Pfaadt is still entering only his second big league camp. The circumstances are much more different, with his season preparation being the focus instead of trying to win a job. We can compare that to how Eduardo Rodríguez, a veteran of eight major league seasons, talked about his first outing of the spring.

"I was throwing my pitches almost right where I wanted, command was a little off, but overall I feel good. I've been in spring training so many times already that I know how it is. There have been some spring trainings where I gave up just two runs and some where I gave up a lot."

Manager Torey Lovullo stated he typically has more leeway with veterans, especially early in Spring Training, but acknowledged they pay more attention as they get closer to the start of the season. Lovullo laid out expectations for what he wants to see from Pfaadt this spring.

"I've told him one-on-one what my expectations are. Still keeping the foot on the gas pedal, not taking anything for granted. Have that mindset that he has to earn everything and not letting me take it away from you. He's very inspired and he's ready to take that next step in my opinion. Pitching in the postseason, back end of the year the way he did, I think if he's healthy, strong, and doing what he can do, he's going to be just fine."

Pfaadt is looking to continue the momentum built at the end of last season. Despite an unsightly 5.72 ERA for the season, he pitched to a 4.22 ERA and a 73 to 16 strikeout to walk ratio in 70 1/3 innings. Over that same stretch, Statcast credits him for a 3.48 xERA, suggesting that Pfaadt pitched better than the numbers. His season would ultimately be remembered for his final four starts, where he allowed just five runs in 19 1/3 innings against the Dodgers, Phillies, and Rangers in the postseason.