Third Starter: Dinelson Lamet
Dinelson Lamet only pitcher 73 innings over 14 starts in 2019, having not pitched prior since 2017 due to Tommy John surgery in April of 2018. Having health on his side in 2020 will be paramount as he enters the season primed to display his worth, urged on by unbounded potential.
The hardest thrower of the San Diego Padres starting staff, Lamet has what one might describe as easy speed. The ball rolls out of his hand at an average velocity of 96 mph and it does not appear as if he is putting much effort behind it.
His stuff allows him to attack the strike zone vertically. When he is ahead in the count, the right-hander can elevate a high four-seamer to overpower the opposing batter or hurl his razor blade of a slider.
The slider, when executed properly, breaks with a sublime downward tilt away from right-handers. The combination of the slider and fastball is particularly effective because the pitches are delivered on the same plane until the movement sets in.
The only concerns for Lamet are the ability to consistently throw strikes and therefore to last deeper into games. With only 73 innings under his belt in 2020, he might also face innings limitations or fatigue upon the season’s final stages.