Paul Sewald Shares The Difficulties of Learning a New Pitch as a Closer

Paul Sewald has helped transform this Arizona Diamondbacks roster in multiple ways since he returned from his oblique injury in early-May. The veteran closer has taken on a leadership role with the team while striving to never stop improving. He's attempting to learn a new pitch mid-season, the Change up, though it remains to be seen how frequently it'll be used.

Sewald has become a leader of the team that sets the tone and mood. He settled the bullpen down and got guys into roles they can excel in. He leads the post-game speeches and Victory Vest announcements.

Sewald has become one of the most important players and leaders on the team, from the nuances and minutia to closing out games and ensuring another D-backs victory.

Tucker Barnhart received the Victory Vest Friday night after a win against the White Sox in which he had two hits and two RBI. "Sewald's the guy that does the talking after the game. He's been doing it a lot lately talking after games which is fun."

Sewald is the veteran leader that the team needed to get through the tough lumps of May and rediscover the mojo that enabled them to experience so much success last year.

As for Sewald's pitching, during Thursday's 9th inning in an 11-1 blowout victory against the Angels, Sewald threw two changeups. They were the first change-ups that Sewald had thrown in an actual MLB game since 2021. They were to a left-handed batter Mickey Moniak. Speaking to Inside the Diamondbacks beat writer Jack Sommers, Sewald had this to say:

"I've been throwing it in warmups, just trying to make sure I get a feel for it...What a better time for it...It'll be hard to tell if I throw it again because nothing frustrates me more than giving pitches away especially when I don't need it. We'll see."

Sewald had spoken in Spring Training about learning a changeup to throw against lefties in order to get them out easier. In a blowout victory, Sewald figured that this was the best time to get some work in with the new pitch.

One was thrown perfectly with it starting at the bottom of the zone before diving under and getting a swing and foul on it. The other had a bad grip and sailed into the right-hand batter's box.

For relievers, especially closers, they get limited warm-up pitches to work on their craft and don't throw bullpens, unlike starters. This makes learning and getting a feel for a new pitch in the middle of the season extremely hard.

"I don't pitch very often in games where I can try it and see what happens. That's part of the issue, I'm not at the luxury to, I'm not a starter who has multiple innings, I'm not a multiple-inning reliever that if I'm going to face 10 guys, I can throw it against one or two. I'm trying to get in and out as fast as possible."

Sewald has no clue when he is going to pitch, so he can't tire himself out by throwing bullpens randomly because he could be needed that same day or the next three days to pitch in tight games.

"It was kind of a weird circumstance where I'm throwing but usually I throw so often I don't waste any bullets...I need to be ready as often as possible. I can't throw extra pitches all the time in bullpens at 3:30 like starters can to work on things. It's just a difficult position because like how do you work on something without being able to get reps of it. "

Sewald mentioned how that's the worst part of pitching or being a closer. He conceded that "hitting is clearly harder" but that he'd give anything to be able to spend "seven hours on my swing" in a cage or to work on his "pitching craft" but that he doesn't have the "luxury" to do so.

"I don't have the time to do that. I have no idea when I'm going to pitch so it's difficult."

As for whether Sewald will continue to throw the changeup or if it was a one-time thing, Sewald said "They're good when I throw them correctly but how often am I going to throw them correctly? That's the point. A third pitch that you don't throw very often, how do you keep the feel for it? I guess that's the hardest part. We just have to see how it feels."

Sewald said he's hopeful to throw it more while warming up so he can get more consistent and comfortable with it. "Maybe I'll feel more comfortable in the fact that my range won't be either really good or really terrible."

Sewald will never ask to pitch either and will stay ready for whenever the team needs him. He said he won't ask to pitch again after he asked to pitch in Minnesota soon after the D-backs acquired him and he struck out the side. However, he was asked to get the save the next day and blew it.

"I'll never ask to pitch ever again, I'll just pitch when I get to pitch."

So far though, Sewald hasn't shown a need for a third pitch but a weapon against lefties could help out a lot come later in the season or in the playoffs.

On the season, Sewald has seven saves and finished 11 games. He's pitched in 12 games total and thrown 11.1 innings with a 0.79 ERA and 3.67 FIP. He's been lucky to have such a low ERA according to FIP, but he's given up just three hits, one run, one intentional walk, three walks in total, and struck out 11.

His four seamer and sweeper have been deadly against opposing hitters. His four seamer has a batting average against of just .091 and an expected batting average (xBA) of .107. His sweeper has a batting average against of .071 and an xBA of .189.

If he can successfully incorporate a changeup into that pitching mix, Sewald could reach a new level on the mound and become one of the best closers in MLB. The Arizona Diamondbacks are glad to have Sewald as their closer.