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Jerad Eickhoff searches for solutions with slower, less effective fastball

Eickhoff says he has "no idea" why he has lost speed and movement from h is fastball.

Phillies’ Jerad Eickhoff will start Friday against the Cubs on an extra day of rest.
Phillies’ Jerad Eickhoff will start Friday against the Cubs on an extra day of rest.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

It was Jerad Eickhoff's day to pitch Thursday, but the only time he threw was at 11 a.m., in shallow right field. Eickhoff will instead start Friday, on an extra day of rest, a decision Phillies officials said earlier in the week had nothing to do with an injury-related matter.

Eickhoff is "definitely healthy," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak. But the 27-year-old righthander has lacked the same juice and movement from his fastball from a season ago. It has affected his results. When asked if he had a theory on Eickhoff's dip in velocity, Klentak said, "no."

Eickhoff has a 4.46 ERA in 22 starts. His fastball, according to Major League Baseball's data, averaged 91.6 mph in his first two seasons. It is down to a 90.4 mph average in 2017. It was 89.6 mph in his last start. That may not seem significant, but for a pitcher who lives in the low 90s, it is.

Opponents have batted .343 against Eickhoff's fastball. That is up from .294 in 2016 and .243 in 2015.

"It wasn't like he was throwing 94, 95," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "It's a slight decrease in velocity. He might be taking something off to locate better. Or not. I don't know. I don't have the answer to that. He doesn't have any issues. There's no tenderness or soreness or anything like that. It could be a mechanical thing. I don't know."

Eickhoff is similarly baffled.

"I feel good," Eickhoff said. "I don't know. It could just be August, I guess. I have no idea."

Eickhoff missed time earlier this season with an injured back. He has often referred to this season as "a grind" as he attempts to make adjustments. His curveball has remained a plus pitch. Batters are hitting .159 against it; their average last season was .158. The slugging percentage against Eickhoff's curveball is actually lower in 2017 (.253) than in 2016 (.281).

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So Eickhoff has thrown his curveball more, which could be a future formula for success. Eickhoff has used it a third of the time. Only Boston's Drew Pomeranz and Tampa Bay's Alex Cobb have thrown a higher percentage of curveballs this season.

Could Eickhoff throw it even more? Pomeranz approached 40 percent curves last season. Wandy Rodriguez, for a few years, enjoyed success in Houston's rotation with a high percentage of curveballs thrown. A.J. Burnett, late in his career, featured his curveball a third of the time. It is rare. But the curveball puts less strain on an arm compared to, say, a slider.

Still, Eickhoff will need a more effective fastball. If it lacks velocity, it must have location. Eickhoff, too often this season, has possessed neither.

"Eickhoff, even throwing a few miles an hour less, when he's locating and changing speeds is still very effective," Klentak said. "So that's what he's learning right now."

Extra bases

Hoby Milner added another 1 1/3 innings Thursday to his current scoreless streak of nine innings over 11 appearances. The rookie lefty has made a good impression with a 2.41 ERA. … The Phillies optioned Ricardo Pinto to triple-A Lehigh Valley before Thursday's game to clear a roster spot for the day's starter, Jake Thompson, who himself was optioned to triple A after his start. … Eickhoff will pitch against recent Cubs acquisition Jose Quintana. Ben Lively will oppose Kyle Hendricks on Saturday. The Phillies will start either Aaron Nola or Nick Pivetta in Sunday's series finale against John Lackey.