Dodgers reliever Edgardo Henríquez just dropped a 101.9-mph fastball to strike out Sal Stewart looking on Tuesday night, shutting down the Cincinnati Reds in the eighth inning. This dude is seriously turning heads and making a name for himself as a go-to guy in high-pressure spots, proving why teammates like Tarik Skubal feel confident they’re gonna win when he takes the mound.
This Guy’s a Monster on the Mound
Henríquez isn’t just throwing gas, he’s getting it done across the board. The hard-throwing right-hander came into Tuesday’s game after Skubal exited with one out in the eighth and a slim lead, facing the top of the Reds’ order. He did give up a double to Elly De La Cruz, who already rocked two homers in the series, but then he locked it down, making that 101.9-mph fastball look like art to end the inning. This season, he’s seen action in literally every inning from the first through the 11th. He’s putting up a nasty 2.62 ERA and an even better 2.36 xERA across 59 games, with 69 strikeouts and 24 walks in 58 1/3 innings. That’s a 29.9-percent strikeout rate, folks! Over half his innings have been in the seventh or eighth, but he’s stepping into higher-leverage moments consistently, including that save on Sunday night, his second of the season.
Skubal’s Got Nothing But Praise for the Big Arm
When you hear a starting pitcher rave about his bullpen, you know something special is brewing. Tarik Skubal didn’t hold back, saying, “I love watching him play. He throws the hell out of the baseball, and it’s so effortless. He’s huge, he’s a monster.” Skubal added that when Henríquez follows him, he feels “very confident you’re going to win the ballgame, especially in a one-run game.” Henríquez has directly followed Skubal in three of his seven starts, showing the trust the team has in him. Skubal remembered his first game, thinking, “‘Woah, this is the guy we’re rolling out in the sixth?’ It’s 102, it’s nasty, a really good slider, the cutter has kind of developed into a good weapon for him. He’s intense out there, I love everything about his moxie and what he brings to the mound.” Since June 1, opposing batters have managed just two hits in 45 at-bats that ended on his four-seam fastball, leading to 24 strikeouts. He’s throwing that four-seamer 33.7 percent of the time this season.
From Tommy John to a Weapon
It’s been a journey for the 24-year-old. Signed out of Venezuela in 2018, Henríquez was a starting pitcher, making it to Class-A Rancho Cucamonga at just 19 in 2021. But then came the gut punch: Tommy John surgery after only 14 games in 2022, sidelining him for all of 2023. He came back in 2024 as a reliever, battling through all four minor league levels before getting the call to the Dodgers in the final week of the regular season. Manager Dave Roberts knew what they had, calling him “a really great kid, with a big arm. He’s certainly a weapon.” It hasn’t even been two years since his debut, but his role has exploded. With that kind of moxie and raw stuff, you gotta watch this guy every time he steps on the rubber.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
Leave a Reply