Recent rumors suggest Thor is available. He is certainly on the decline, but declining from a .260 xwOBA bonafide Ace still leaves room for a very good pitcher. He is controllable for another 2.5 years through arbitration, meaning he can be cut loose at any time if his arm falls off to limit his overall downside.
Let's take a look at how his pitches roughly grade out based on 2019 data...
SI: 98.0 mph (Grade 78.7), 8.4" HMov (Grade 48.8), 4.9" VMov (Grade 53.1)
A blazing SI with average movement. This is clearly an elite pitch.
FA: 98.2 mph (Grade 73.3), 3.3" HMov (Grade 39.5), 7.9" VMov (Grade 39.9)
Another blazing pitch, but this one has below average movement, making it play down a bit in a world where everyone throws 95+.
CH: 6.6 delta (Grade 44.5), 9.2" HMov (Grade 60.8), 3.7" VMov (Grade 53.4)
The CH is probably average overall with more movement than velocity delta.
SL: 89.2 mph (Grade 69.8), 2.0" HMov (Grade 47.5), -0.8" VMov (Grade 56.3)
A blazing SL with average movement resulting in an average or better pitch.
CU: 80.4 mph (Grade 55.9), 7.0" HMov (Grade 65.14), -3.6" VMov (Grade 46.4)
A solidly average or better breaking ball with less depth and more sweeping action.
Command: 2.56 BB/9 in 2019, 2.12 BB/9 for his career (Grade ~60+)
So Thor is a guy with elite velocity (we knew that), and a handful of average-ish off speed pitches (probably not so widely known). This is probably why he isn't able to translate those radar gun readings into results as dominating as we expect.
The reliance on pure velocity may also be a factor in aging less gracefully than a more well-rounded pitcher...as well as increased injury risk.
Let's take a look at how his pitches roughly grade out based on 2019 data...
SI: 98.0 mph (Grade 78.7), 8.4" HMov (Grade 48.8), 4.9" VMov (Grade 53.1)
A blazing SI with average movement. This is clearly an elite pitch.
FA: 98.2 mph (Grade 73.3), 3.3" HMov (Grade 39.5), 7.9" VMov (Grade 39.9)
Another blazing pitch, but this one has below average movement, making it play down a bit in a world where everyone throws 95+.
CH: 6.6 delta (Grade 44.5), 9.2" HMov (Grade 60.8), 3.7" VMov (Grade 53.4)
The CH is probably average overall with more movement than velocity delta.
SL: 89.2 mph (Grade 69.8), 2.0" HMov (Grade 47.5), -0.8" VMov (Grade 56.3)
A blazing SL with average movement resulting in an average or better pitch.
CU: 80.4 mph (Grade 55.9), 7.0" HMov (Grade 65.14), -3.6" VMov (Grade 46.4)
A solidly average or better breaking ball with less depth and more sweeping action.
Command: 2.56 BB/9 in 2019, 2.12 BB/9 for his career (Grade ~60+)
So Thor is a guy with elite velocity (we knew that), and a handful of average-ish off speed pitches (probably not so widely known). This is probably why he isn't able to translate those radar gun readings into results as dominating as we expect.
The reliance on pure velocity may also be a factor in aging less gracefully than a more well-rounded pitcher...as well as increased injury risk.
