The Cleveland Guardians have received several prayers this season. Jose Ramirez will stay with the Guardians for years to come, they are currently in second place in the American League Central and now they have a 25-year-old reliever who is giving this team a huge boost out of the bullpen.
His name is Sam Hentges.
Hentges made his major league debut last season with the Guardians. He started as a pitcher, but it didn’t go well. He struggled during his first season as a Guardian. It’s expected because most rookies find their way in their first year in the league. Coming into his sophomore season, Hentges has shocked many people who have doubted and laughed at him. No one is talking about him this season, and I’m here to tell you that people should start paying attention to him. In the 2022 season so far, he’s posting a 1.80 ERA with 25 strikeouts and a 0.70 WHIP in 19 games.
He has found his groove this season. I think he feels comfortable as a reliever. He has a nasty curveball, which is one of his primary weapons.
Who knows?
Hentges could one day join the list of pitchers who have failed as starters but excelled as relievers. Many names come to mind, like John Franco, Jason Isringhausen, Mariano Rivera and more. On the other hand, this could be a Luis Severino-caliber situation where he struggled as a starter at first, then did well coming out of the bullpen and then began to pitch great as a starter. We hope Hentges can stay healthy and continue producing for the Guardians.
The future is unpredictable; expectations are a priority, and production needs to be consistent. It’s impressive what Sam Hentges is doing so far. He’s young and in the proper organization with the right manager in Terry Francona, who has a way of getting the best out of his players. Hentges might be a potential future All-Star if he continues to deliver like this.
All eyes are on the young phenom.
The post No One is Talking About Sam Hentges appeared first on Cleveland Sports Talk.
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