In the middle of the first inning, the Baltimore Orioles were already ahead 2-0 against Jason Vargas. Three hard singles, a deep sacrifice fly, and a Mark Trumbo stolen base best characterized an opening act that we had become all too familiar with. To be fair, Vargas was able to record two more outs and get himself out of further trouble, but at 29 pitches already, the writing seemed on the wall, and the night seemed very hideously young.
With his fourth loss of the season, Vargas’ ERA now sits at 7.71, dragging some first-inning numbers that could make you cry: 14 earned runs in seven innings… an 18.00 ERA, with opponents staking a .500 OBP and .774 SLG.
Ironically though, nearly everything outside of that first inning seemed to click, speaking volumes about the improvements Vargas has made in a process that, although slow and pedestrian, would yield a very different reaction under even slightly different circumstances.
To begin with an obvious and macroscopic, but still relevant point, Vargas’ ERA fell by 0.82 with his start last night. He did not allow a single run after the first inning came to a close. His ERA from the first inning on, although still at an unsettling 5.65, was an even worse 7.15 entering the contest.
Now in a more specific, but ultimately similar vein, Vargas’ second inning, despite a six-pitch leadoff walk to Chris Davis (who entered tonight with an American League-worst .234 OBP), needed just ten following pitches before being left scoreless. The lefty stumbled, but yet-again kept his cool, finding and executing viable spots with his changeup and knuckle curve while initiating weak contact when things got hairy.
Vargas thrived the following inning, retiring the meat of the Orioles’ lineup in order on ten pitches. The fourth inning began with a Jonathan Schoop single, but ended seven pitches later on a flyout, popout, and three-pitch strikeout.
Fast-forward to the fifth inning, and the same starter who looked dead three batters and ten minutes into the series opener was now confidently stationed across from the 2-3-4 slice of the Orioles’ order, somehow at just 65 pitches. With an eight-pitch strikeout on a particularly well-spotted two-seamer, a groundout, and flyout, Vargas has now altered the entire complexion of the game.
Desperate for any run he could shuck out of his starving offense, manager Mickey Callaway decided to pinch-hit for Vargas with men on third and second and nobody out in the bottom half. Jose Bautista came to the plate instead and cranked a sacrifice fly to get the Mets on the board with the only run they’d end up scoring altogether. Vargas’ final line read: five innings, two earned runs, five hits, four strikeouts, and one walk on 79 pitches (51 for strikes). With another inning like the last four (an inevitability if the lineup had allowed it), the veteran would have been credited with a quality start.
Mickey Callaway sounded very pleased about Vargas’ performance, as well as the recent stretch of solid pitching performances the team has gotten from the rotation as a whole.
“If we can continue to get Vargas to pitch like that and the rest of the rotation to do what they’re doing. The last 17 games they have a two-something ERA — you can’t expect more than that… I am really pleased with where the rotation is now.”
It should also be noted that this is the fourth consecutive start in which Vargas has exited under his own power, and in three such appearances, he has fared considerably better. Some statistics from this stretch include a 3.50 ERA, 2.34 FIP, 3.6 K/BB ratio, and an average of just 0.5 HR/9. Mind you, this includes his treacherous three innings and five earned runs in Milwaukee not too long ago.
With all the specifics of this most recent start now on the table, it’s hard to complain Jason Vargas and his rough first inning when he essentially hoisted himself out of a pit like never before while still keeping loyal to his hot-streak. This was a fine start that was doomed by both a rough first inning and a team that can’t seem to put together runs right now.
