"Little had to be the primary left-handed reliever all season, with Eric Lauer being needed in the rotation with other starters failing or put on the injured list. The lefty stepped in phenomenally, posting a 3.03 ERA over 68 1/3 innings, 91 strikeouts, and holding batters to a .196 batting average off of him. In his second full MLB season, he allowed only two home runs, but his flaw was his control as he walked 45 batters."
"He was also far more effective at home with a 1.60 ERA and Rogers Centre compare to a 4.97 ERA on the road. In high-leverage situations, Little thrived. He threw 18.2 innings in these situations, and held batters to a .190 batting average. The lefty was successful in increasing his strikeout percentage from 18.7% to 30.8%. His knuckle curve was the biggest contributor to his strikeouts, with a 55.6% whiff rate, and batters hit only .145 off the pitch, according to Baseball Savant."
The Toronto Blue Jays finished 94-68 and won the AL East after preseason predictions of 78.5 wins. Contributions came from unexpected role players including Joey Loperfido, Ernie Clement, Addison Barger, and Nathan Lukes. Superstars Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and Kevin Gausman provided major production. Brendon Little served as the primary left-handed reliever, compiling a 4-2 record, 3.03 ERA, 30 holds, and 91 strikeouts across 68 1/3 innings. He allowed only two home runs but struggled with control, issuing 45 walks, and showed a stark home-road split: 1.60 ERA at Rogers Centre versus 4.97 on the road. Little excelled in high-leverage situations and increased his strikeout rate with a dominant knuckle curve.
Read at Jays Journal
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