Pitchers Are Showing Increased Caution Against Jackson Chourio, and He's Taking What They Give Him

Jackson Chourio’s rookie season gained a prominent entry in the history books on Thursday night in San Francisco, as the Brewers’ young phenom became the youngest player in MLB history to achieve a season of at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases.

Chourio’s two-run blast in the eighth inning was another reminder of his exclusive physical prowess. His quick hands got his barrel to an up-and-in sinker and turned it around for a booming fly ball to right field.

The at-bat also featured something Chourio has not seen as frequently in recent weeks: a pitch in the strike zone.

Pitchers have become more cautious with the red-hot rookie. In his last 17 games (75 plate appearances), only 46.3% of the pitches he’s seen have been in the strike zone. For most of July and August, that figure was over 50%. The Cardinals intentionally walked him in consecutive games last week.

Receiving fewer pitches to hit is the latest test of Chourio’s adaptability, and his initial response has been encouraging. Instead of expanding his attack zone to continue doing damage, he’s chasing less. Chourio struggled with overly aggressive swing decisions through May, but his chase rate during this stretch sits a tick below the league average at 26.9%. He has drawn eight unintentional walks.

When he gets a pitch in the strike zone, he is still doing more damage than ever. During this 17-game stretch, Chourio is slugging .800 on pitches in the zone, the eighth-highest mark in baseball. He’s hit five home runs and seven doubles.

This is the definition of a confident hitter taking what the pitcher gives him. When pitchers work around Chourio, he’s content with taking pitches and reaching base. The moment they come back over the plate, he returns to attacking the ball and drives it.

His final at-bat on Thursday was a prime example. Chourio took a first-pitch sinker off the outside corner for a ball. Ahead in the count 1-0, he was prepared to ambush the first pitch he saw in the strike zone.

It’s a promising sign for both Chourio and the Brewers. He is currently their most dangerous hitter. Unless he shows substantial signs of slowing down, opponents will likely treat him as such down the stretch and into the postseason. So long as Chourio continues to play the cards he’s dealt pitch-to-pitch, he can remain a driving force in Milwaukee’s offense despite seeing fewer pitches to punish.