The Curveball, the Comeback and the Calm of Aaron Ashby
Sports Illustrated • • sports
Key Points:
- Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Aaron Ashby has been dominant in the 2024 postseason, delivering seven shutout appearances in nine games and helping the team achieve an 8-1 record.
- Ashby’s success is attributed to his calm, focused mindset and a newly mastered curveball pitch, which has the highest whiff rate and greatest drop among all curveballs this season.
- After overcoming shoulder surgery and early career struggles, Ashby reinvented his pitching arsenal in August 2024, making him one of the most effective relief pitchers in recent postseason history.
- Brewers manager Pat Murphy consistently deploys Ashby in high-pressure, close-score situations, where Ashby has excelled by retiring batters efficiently and preserving leads.
- The Brewers' bullpen, featuring Ashby and other hard-throwing pitchers, has been a key factor in their postseason success, consistently outpitching opponents and controlling late-game moments.
