MLB Players Poised to Rebound in 2017
By Nick Fustor
Edinson Volquez
Edinson Volquez had never been a standout performer in the league, but upon joining the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014, Volquez turned into another pitcher. A dominant season honing his craft in Pittsburgh led to a deal with the Kansas City Royals, and Volquez quickly became the ace of the eventual World Series champions.
This past season, however, Volquez never seemed to find a consistent groove and regressed to the early 2010s version of himself that bounced around between teams. The 33-year-old posted a 5.37 ERA with 6.61 K/9 and 3.61 BB/9, but his 4.57 FIP showed that Volquez wasn’t quite as bad as most thought. Much of Volquez’s struggles can be attributed to his issues with runners on base.
With runners in scoring position, Volquez allowed 90 earned runs and 16 walks, while giving up 58 total hits. He’s never been a pitcher with eye-popping command, but his walk numbers ultimately contributed to poor performances. Issues with home runs also plagued Volquez, as he allowed 1.09 home runs per nine innings.
On a team expected to compete like the Royals, Volquez had a lot of pressure. But now that he has signed with the Miami Marlins, Volquez has the potential to thrive. As the veteran presence on a young team, Volquez can use his experience to guide the rest of the Marlins staff.
With the Marlins’ unexpectedly solid performance last season, he’ll likely have plenty of motivation without the pressure of leading the team to the World Series.