France passes ‘big turning point’ in young career

CHICAGO — J.P. France needed to wait out a two-hour and 10-minute rain delay earlier than taking the mound for his second profession begin. And a recreation of playing cards along with his teammates helped ease his thoughts earlier than his begin. 

“Being able to sit in the locker room and be in your thoughts isn’t always ideal for me,” France mentioned. “I had to kind of get my mind off of it a little bit. So, I sat down at the table and played some cards.”

After delivering 5 scoreless innings in his Major League debut, the rookie adopted that up with a formidable 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball in the Astros’ 5-1 win over the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on Friday night. 

“That was great,” supervisor Dusty Baker mentioned. “He was around the strike zone. He only had one walk. He had good command of his breaking ball. That was outstanding. We were trying to get him seven and save the bullpen, but he was good.”

With the early season accidents to José Urquidy (proper shoulder irritation), and Luis Garcia (Tommy John surgical procedure), France lastly received a possibility to show himself on the Major League stage.

Two begins later, France is exhibiting what he’s able to. 

In his first begin, France acknowledged some early nerves in his debut. He loaded the bases within the first inning earlier than permitting simply three hits, one stroll with 5 strikeouts throughout 5 shutout innings.

In France’s second begin, he stayed calm and picked up. He received via the primary inning with no drawback on simply 12 pitches — which he says is often his kryptonite — earlier than making his solely mistake of the sport within the second. 

After White Sox middle fielder Luis Robert Jr. watched a 3-0 four-seam fastball go for a strike within the higher a part of the zone. France threw the identical four-seam fastball nearly in the identical location. Robert then launched it for a 428-foot residence run, ending the rookie’s scoreless streak to start his profession at 6 2/3 innings.

Outside of that pitch although, France had a dominant outing. He retired seven straight batters after the house run and got here up large within the fifth inning when he struck out Gavin Sheets with a 75.7 mph curveball after the White Sox DH fouled off 5 straight pitches. 

“He was making quality pitches, and Sheets had a tough-at-bat and was fouling them off,” Baker mentioned. “We executed correctly. That was a extremely large turning level within the recreation and in his younger profession.”

France gave up only one run on three hits with one stroll and three strikeouts throughout 6 2/3 innings. Across two begins, he has allowed only one run in 11 2/3 innings of labor (0.77 ERA). 

“Just really being able to stay within myself, knowing that my pitches, the shapes and all that are really good,” France mentioned. “And just stay with that plan because when you start getting out of your plan, that’s when stuff starts to go bad. So, I think that’s the biggest thing right now just staying with it.”

The 28-year-old right-hander leaned on his fastball and cutter (60%) on Friday, whereas mixing in his slider, curveball, and changeup (40%). He completed his outing with 9 whiffs and 17 referred to as strikes.

“It’s awesome,” he mentioned. “Any time, no matter what team you’re on or what level you’re at, it’s awesome to always get your first win and always give your club a chance to get wins because realistically, that’s why I’m here just to help us as a club.”

France’s first two Major League begins haven’t solely been large for himself however for the Astros’ rotation too. After dropping Garcia for the season and Urquidy till no less than mid-July, Houston wanted viable replacements within the rotation.

It’s early, however France has executed a pleasant job stepping up. If he can proceed pitching the way in which he has via his first two profession begins, he’ll give Houston’s rotation a much-needed enhance and safe a roster spot as nicely.

“You need that,” Baker mentioned. “You need that to save our bullpen and for us to stay close in this race and also assume what he can do the next time.”