MILWAUKEE – The official definition of a tactician is, “A person who uses a carefully planned strategy to achieve a specific end.”
That’s the term Nationals manager Blake Butera has used to describe southpaw Foster Griffin multiple times since Spring Training. With a deep pitch mix, Griffin has been playing chess on the mound in his return to the Major Leagues this season.
“Foster was outstanding,” said Butera. “… You just feel a lot of confidence out there when he’s on the mound.”
Griffin threw five no-hit innings against Milwaukee on Saturday in the Nationals’ 3-1 win at American Family Field. He faced only 17 batters through an efficient five frames before allowing a single to Joey Ortiz.
Griffin was so locked in to one at-bat at a time, he didn’t realize his bid.
“Through four, I took a peek at the scoreboard to see who was up next to go through my notes, and I saw it,” Griffin said. “I was like, ‘Whatever, it is what it is. It’s only through four.’ So I was aware of it, but it wasn’t going to throw the way I was going to throw or not.”
After playing in Japan the past three years to establish himself as a starter, Griffin has dominated to begin the year.
Griffin, 30, is 2-0 with a 1.76 ERA in 15 1/3 innings vs. the National League-contending Phillies, Dodgers and Brewers.
- March 30 at Phillies: 5 innings, 5 hits, 2 runs, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts, 86 pitches (55 strikes)
- April 5 vs. Dodgers: 5 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts, 95 pitches (52 strikes)
- Saturday at Brewers: 5 1/3 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 3 walks, 1 strikeout, 80 pitches (50 strikes)
“It’s just so impressive to sit back and watch him do his thing against a really good lineup,” said Butera.
Griffin’s arsenal and sequencing keeps batters guessing. On Saturday, he delivered 30 cutters, 14 four-seamers, nine curveballs, nine sweepers, eight changeups, five sinkers and five splitters.
“He just seems to mix speeds so well and keep hitters off balance,” said Butera. “He’s got so many different pitches, and he can command all of them. It helps being able to do all of that.”
Griffin said even though he didn’t have “unbelievable stuff” on Saturday, he was able to be effective in the zone. That was a key approach to a Brewers team who last season had the fifth-lowest strikeout rate in baseball.
"They don't strike out a whole lot,” said Griffin. “They're a team that puts the ball in play, kind of makes your defense work. And our defense worked really well tonight. Positioning was great by the staff as well. I only had one strikeout there. I knew that going into it, and I wanted to have them put the ball in play, for the most part."
Griffin appeared in only seven Major League games (all as a reliever) from 2020-22 with the Royals and Blue Jays before becoming a top starter in Japan. He signed a one-year deal with the Nats in December to join their rotation. In his return to the Majors, he has become a stifling presence on the bump.
“I think it’s two-fold: I feel like there’s not a whole lot out there on me just yet, so I can play that in my advantage a little bit,” Griffin said. “But at the same time, these are good games to get up for. I feel like any game you can play against playoff-contending teams and do well, it’s great to have that little notch in your belt.
“But this is the big leagues. I feel like any team is really good and any team can do damage. So you can’t just take days off against maybe a not-playoff team. You’ve still got to do your homework and prepare well for that game.”