But he’s still a rookie. Still only 25 and taking his first trip through a major-league season. Still learning. A little while ago, the Blue Jays showed Thornton some data with regards to his pitch mix, which was trending too curveball-dominant. So, he adjusted, and started throwing his fastball more often. He was trying to stay ahead of the opponents who were accumulating his video and tendencies, engineering new ways to attack him. You have to in this game. The hitters are too good.
And so, Thornton grinded through a long, hot learning experience in the Bronx Wednesday, as the Yankees methodically wore him down like they were swinging an axe at a tall tree. A five-pitch Aaron Hicks walk following Gregorius’ homer. A Torres single at the end of a seven-pitch at-bat trailing that. A seven-pitch LeMahieu walk; an Aaron Judge single; an inning that stretched all the way to 43 pitches.
Again, a learning experience. Thornton was trying to follow the game plan and lean on his fastball Wednesday, but he simply didn’t have his best command of it. Just look at his pitch chart. He was either missing badly out of the zone, or missing badly on the plate.