Young SF Giants pitcher's velocity drop may be cause for concern

Young SF Giants starter Kyle Harrison is looking to bounce back after a so-so 2024 season. He got a late start in camp this year and his velocity has been down which could be a potential cause for concern if it continues.

In Harrison's Cactus League start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, he got knocked around pretty good in his first inning of work, allowing five earned runs while only recording one out. He was pulled from the game, but spring training rules allow a pitcher who has been pulled to come out and pitch the next inning which is what the Giants did with Harrison. He looked much better after that rough first inning and did not allow any more runs.

However, one cause for concern is that his fastball velocity hung around the high-80's and low-90's for most of his outing according to the Giants' radio announcers who were calling the game. His average fastball sat at 91.2 miles per hour. When Harrison was first called up to the big leagues in 2023, his fastball was regularly around the 95 mile per hour mark. That velocity combined with his deceptive delivery made him a formidable opponent for batters with him regularly turning to that high fastball to get batters out.

Young SF Giants starter Kyle Harrison's velocity dip may be cause for concern

If Harrison's fastball remains around the 90 mile per hour mark, that could make it harder for him to blow guys away with that pitch which is a big deal because his fastball has typically been his most reliable pitch.

Coming into camp, Harrison spoke about a mechanical issue from last season that may have been causing a dip in his velocity. He said his velocity was back to where he wanted it, but that was before he got a late start this camp.

It would be unwise to completely overreact to Harrison's velocity right now. His late start in camp may be to blame for where his fastball is at on the radar gun and perhaps he is just a minor tweak or two away from getting back on track.

However, after a season in which arm fatigue and a velocity drop were a major concern for Harrison and he was put on the injured list by the end of the year, it is not unfair to at least be a little concerned right now. It is definitely something to monitor for the rest of spring training.

While Harrison was probably the favorite to get the nod as the team's fifth starter in the starting rotation coming into camp, Landen Roupp has pitched superbly which has made him a serious part of that conversation along with Hayden Birdsong.

It is still early and there are several weeks until Opening Day, but Harrison's velocity, or lack thereof, is definitely something to keep an eye on for the rest of spring training as he tries to snag that No. 5 spot in the rotation.