Pitch of Some Note: Preston Claiborne’s Changeup Last Night

It would be difficult, owing largely to the number of grand slams he allowed, to describe Yankees reliever Preston Claiborne’s appearance at Boston on Friday night either as “very” or “even at all” successful.

That’s not to say it was entirely sans merit, however. Before conceding the relevant home run to Boston catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the seventh inning of that game, Claiborne threw a triumvirate of changeups, each of which deceased English person John Keats would have likened to Truth quite willingly.

Here, first, is Claiborne throwing that changeup to Red Sox outfielder Daniel Nava for a swinging strike two during the latter’s seventh-inning at-bat:

And here’s Claiborne returning to the change on the next pitch for a strikeout:

And, finally, recording a called strike to begin his rencontre with Saltalamacchia:

Nor, it should be noted, does Claiborne’s changeup acquit itself merely on aesthetic terms: according to the pitch-type values here at the site, the change has been worth three runs above average — or 3.4 runs above average per every 100 thrown.