J.P. France Working On New Pitch
11 months agoHouston Astros right-hander J.P. France intimated that he's adding a new pitch this offseason, but he wants to keep it "on the low down" before eventually debuting it in spring training. France was forced into starting-rotation duty in 2023 due to all of Houston's injuries and finished with 158 1/3 innings, including the playoffs, after never going over 114 innings in his first four minor-league seasons. Fatigue played a part late in the year, as opponents hit slugged .494 with an .855 OPS against him over the final two months of the season. The Astros might have to lean on France in their starting rotation early on, but when all of their starters are healthy, he could be relegated to more of a swing role for Houston. The 28-year-old won't have mixed-league fantasy value unless he's cemented in the team's rotation, but a lack of swing-and-miss stuff also limits his upside.
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
Source: The Athletic - Chandler Rome