The adage that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks doesn’t seem to apply to former Brewer High School and University of Maine standout pitcher Matt Pushard.
Pushard has made his way up the minor league ladder to AAA in the Miami Marlins organization. And the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimps’ righthanded reliever has unveiled a new pitch this season: a sweeper.
It is an offspeed pitch that he throws in the 82-84 miles-per-hour range and it goes hand-in-hand with his curve, which has similar velocity. Pushard also features a 95-96 miles-per-hour fastball and 88-90 mph slider, and he is working on a change-up.
“The curve is more of a north-to-south pitch while the sweeper has more east-to-west action. It moves horizontally,” explained Pushard, who signed with the Marlins as an undrafted free agent after the 2022 Major League baseball draft. “The sweeper is probably my best pitch to throw to righties.”
Pushard called the pitch a “different look” because it’s not something normally seen from a pitcher who throws over the top like he does.
“If a guy who throws over the top adds a pitch with east-to-west movement, it’s pretty hard to hit,” Pushard said. “The hitters don’t expect it.”
Pushard said he learned it while he was in spring training with the Marlins because the team wanted him to throw more off-speed pitches — and the sweeper was one they recommended.
“It wasn’t too difficult to learn. It’s about wrist positioning,” Pushard said. “I just have to figure out when to throw it and when not to throw it and to which hitters I should be throwing it to. I’m trying to figure out how to be consistent with it. I don’t want it to blend with my curveball, which I’ve been throwing my entire life and that will always be there.”
Pushard isn’t throwing that curve as much as he has in the past, he added. And he’s had a noteworthy season to date.
The 27-year-old Pushard appeared in four spring training games with the Marlins and led the Major League club in preseason saves with two. He allowed three hits and an earned run in 3 ⅓ innings with four strikeouts and three walks.
His confidence received a big boost.
“My stuff does play at that level and is really good. It’s just a matter of consistency and how many times can you go out and do that. And if you hit a rough patch, how quickly can you get back to where you were before,” he said.
He has appeared in 10 games with the Jumbo Shrimp and is 0-2 with a 3.48 earned-run average. He has given up nine hits and four earned in 10 ⅓ innings with 12 strikeouts and four walks. Opponents are hitting just .225 against him.
The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Pushard spent the 2024 season between Jacksonville and AA Pensacola where he was 3-4 with a 2.28 ERA. He struck out 68 and walked 18 in 55 ⅓ innings and allowed just 39 hits. Opponents hit .190 off him. He was just 1-for-4 in save chances but had 14 holds.
A hold is when a relief pitcher enters a game with his team leading by three runs or less and he protects the lead.
He has been used in every situation out of the bullpen this season and he doesn’t mind it.
“It doesn’t really matter to me. I don’t care what the scenario is. I just want to be available to pitch every day,” said Pushard.
The hitters are definitely better in AAA than AA according to Pushard, who noted that pitches that wound up being flyouts in AA can be home runs in AAA.
“The guys are bigger, stronger and older,” said Pushard.
He has been satisfied with his season and his career to date and he strives to get better as everyone around him is also looking to improve at the same time.
“I enjoy every single day and taking a positive attitude to the field is definitely a big help,” said Pushard.
He said that he has to “put a little more pressure on myself” because he is one step away from the Major Leagues.
“At the same time, you have to simplify your game and do what’s in front of you,” Pushard said. “At the end of the day, you do the best you can and if the opportunity presents itself, that’s great. If it doesn’t, you know you exhausted every opportunity and always tried to get better.”