This isn't the most optimistic write-up on Folty from Fangraphs:
"There is so much going wrong with Foltynewicz, I’m not sure where to start. He’s been one of the hardest throwers in the game but has never been effective.
For such a hard thrower, he gets a disappointing number of strikeouts (7.8 K/9 in career), a reasonable number of walks (2.8 BB/9) but gives up an insane number of home runs (1.5 HR/9). Of the pitchers with 250 IP since 2014, Folty’s HR/9 is the 7th highest. Straight, hard fastballs get hit far. Over those same four seasons, his 4.66 FIP is comparable to Tim Lincecum, Edwin Jackson, James Shields, and Kyle Lohse.
With an ineffective fastball, all of his breaking pitches get below average results besides his change (18% SwStr%). His problem is that he throws the change less than 10% of the time. And now his fastball is getting slower.
I think his future is in the bullpen. I just don’t see him being effective as a starter with a slower fastball. He might just be best off to “grip-it and rip-it” in short outings."
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Originally Posted by Ozzie Swanson
