Chicago Cubs: What went wrong for Hector Rondon in 2017?

Chicago Cubs: Looking at what went wrong in 2017

As mentioned earlier, the difference between the ‘old’ Hector Rondon and the version we saw in 2017 came down to control.

From 2014 to 2016, Rondon put up a staggering 5.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio. But this year, the righty saw that drop to 3.45. His walks-per-nine climbed from 1.4 in 2016 to more than double at 3.1. In short, you couldn’t trust the former stopper to come through in tough spots. When he got behind hitters, opponents made him pay.

When Rondon found himself behind in the count, things did not work out in his favor. Opponents put up a staggering .310/.487/.552 slash-line in 2017 in such situations. So what was the difference between how he used his pitches when compared to past seasons?

His hard-hit percentage was actually better this year than in his 2016 campaign. That being said, it was nearly 10 points higher than in 2015 (up to 30.6 percent from 22.2 percent).  He simply missed his spots more often than in the past.

He used his slider a bit more and his fastball a bit less. Velocity was a non-issue, but given his inability to locate his heater, Chicago never got what they needed from Rondon. He dug himself a hole far too often – and just couldn’t seem to pitch his way out of jams.