Could Kyle Harrison return from the injured list with a new wrinkle?

Kyle Harrison, recovering from an injury, is considering incorporating a new pitch, the changeup, back into his repertoire. When Harrison made a rehab start in Grand Chute on July 31, he aimed to utilize the chance to throw his newly developed pitch extensively. However, he has only thrown the changeup sparingly throughout the season, accounting for only 10% of his pitch usage.

Since April 26, he has only thrown the pitch over 10% of the time on three occasions. Despite its potential, the changeup has not yielded favorable results in Harrison's games, with opponents batting .273 and slugging .485 against it, including two home runs in 33 at-bats. The pitch's success relies heavily on feel, and Harrison has struggled to maintain proper grip and release consistently.

A blister on his middle finger and another on his thumb have hindered his ability to throw the changeup effectively. Harrison acknowledges that confidence is crucial when throwing the pitch, as hesitation can negatively impact its performance. During his rehab stint with Class High-A Wisconsin, Harrison had an opportunity to practice throwing the changeup more frequently, resulting in improved results.

He plans to incorporate the pitch into his regular game-day routine against right-handed batters during his upcoming start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 5.