Mariners’ Felix Hernandez looking for sharper command in fourth start

Felix Hernandez gets the start in Game 1 in Anaheim looking to bounce back from his six-walk performance against the Yankees. It has been an odd start to the season for Felix, who has posted a 1.00 ERA over his three starts but has walked 13 batters.

“It’s very abnormal,” manager Scott Servais said Thursday. “Again, he’s worked on a few things in his bullpen, (getting) the feel for the fastball and finishing the pitch and trusting it. It’s alarming. It’s hard to survive in this league when you are walking that many people and he knows it. I am sure we will get a good outing from him tomorrow night.”

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Fastball command has been an issue and it’s something Felix targeted as a point of emphasis coming into spring training. As good as his other pitches are, the fastball is a pitch he must have. It’s not just a matter of locating the pitch better; it is also important to throw it with the right frequency and in the right spots, according to pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr.

“There are times that guys, when they throw a lot of secondary pitches, they tend to lose a little bit off their fastball,” Stottlemyre explained. “This guy on game day goes hard. They are not easy pitches. He never gives in. The thing that I have talked to him about is the fastball usage. It’s important to me to make sure he has a handle on his fastball. You just can’t withstand the punishment of hard pitches throughout the course of a game. Guys will try and jump his fastball early and they will sit soft late. With that in mind, I want to make sure when he does throw his fastball, they are in good spots.”

The work on the pitches continues, something that is a little different for Felix. He’s more accustomed to getting his work in rather than having to work on something. It’s all part of the process, according to Servais.

“He’s evolving as a veteran pitcher and maybe it isn’t quite as easy for him, which happens to everybody in this league at some point,” Servais said. “You pay a little bit more attention to details, things that can give you an edge. He will figure it out.”