10 MLB Starters Who Struggle in the First Inning

Zack Greinke, Los Angeles Dodgers

Zack Greinke has been the best number-two starter this year, and would be a number one on a lot of other staffs. The Dodgers have continued to reap the benefits of acquiring him, with a 2.79 ERA, 9.5 K/9 and 3.13 FIP to show for it this year. Although Greinke has been consistent since he put on the Dodger Blue, he has his flaws like any other pitcher.

In innings two through seven, Greinke has a 1.85 ERA. But if you look at the first inning, Greinke's ERA is at a 4.85. While his worst ERA has come in the eighth, he's only gotten that far a handful of times.

One of the first numbers that jump out on Greinke’s first inning line is his 2.56 K/BB. His season average is 4.83, and he doesn’t go below 3.50 in that column in any other inning than the eighth. It’s not so much that Greinke’s strikeouts are low in the first because his 23 are consistent with the rest of the inning. The problem his he’s walked nine batters, three more than he has in any other inning, which is a lot when you break in down on an inning-by-inning case.

Hitters are having consistent success against him as well, batting .309 and getting on base at a .361 rate. Furthermore, hitters’ power numbers are the best against Greinke in the first, with seven doubles, three long balls and a triple. Greinke’s opponents have hit more home runs off him in the sixth inning (6), but batters have more extra base hits in the first that in any other frame.