Chase Solesky discusses new opportunity with Nationals; 'Thankful' for second chance
Chase Solesky has had himself a roller coaster season in 2024.
After finishing last season in Triple-A Charlotte in the Chicago White Sox system, he was set to head back before being released to begin the season. Solesky made a brief stop in INDY ball before being scooped up by the Washington Nationals.
“The biggest thing that I have brought with me is to enjoy every day and take every day for what it is,” Solesky said of what he brought with him from INDY ball. “I feel like you get in the routine of just thinking that you belong here and deserve but at the end of the day, you are in an environment where nothing is given, and everything is earned. Any day out here could be your last. Just show up to the ballpark every single day and be thankful you have a locker and be thankful for the opportunity and live in the moment. I never used to live in the moment with the White Sox. I would throw six scoreless for Charlotte one night and expect to be in the big leagues. I would look so far ahead I would never appreciate what I accomplished. Now, I look at it day-by-day. appreciate showing up to the field every day now.”
It is always a great story every season when guys head over to independent ball and figure something out. Solesky is no different and made some changes to his game to get the call back to affiliate ball.
“For once in my career, I did not have someone telling me what I had to throw or what they wanted me to throw,” Solesky said. “I went into the mindset of just do what I think I did best and most confident in. My last organization wanted me to throw a seam shifted sinker and a bullet spin slider. I was in agreement with them, but I just feel like I don’t throw those very well. What I do well is throw my sweeper as my strike pitch that I can throw it for a strike whenever and wherever I want in any count. I decided to bring back my sweeper and instead of throwing the bullet slider, I brought in a cutter. I do a very good job of making a ball go inside to a lefty. I decided one day in catch play the day before I started in INDY ball that I would start throwing a cutter. I threw my cutter and went six scoreless. The following start I continued to throw the cutter and sweeper and went seven innings and one run. It was a mix of what I thought I did well and what I believed would make me successful and that is what I bought into. It was just trying to find something you believe in and something you can buy into so when you take the mound and deliver the pitch you are confident in, you can get something.”
The White Sox selected the 26-year-old in the 21st round of the 2019 MLB draft. The right-hander spent the last five years in the organization and never knew what it was like outside of Chicago’s system.
Since signing with Washington, Solesky has noticed a few differences in approach in his new organization.
“The communication about what they value,” Solesky said of the differences between orgs. “They told me what they valued, and it is clear what they value and they want me to do two of the three things very well. They wanted me to do two of the things great than three things average. It is not a cookie cutter product they want to put on the field. They value outs, and I am a guy who eats innings and gets outs. I can strike someone out when I want to, or I need to. But at the end of the day, my main goal is to go out there and give the team six or seven innings every time I take the mound because that is where I am valued. I know my strikeout numbers have been down here, but that is something I am trying to work on and improve. The view is different that there is more than one way to be successful. It is a refreshing environment to play in.”
Solesky has been on a pretty good stretch lately for Harrisburg, as he has not lost a start since August 6th. Over his last four starts, he has thrown 24.1 innings and has only allowed 5 earned runs.
“The Nationals have done a really nice job in making adjustments to my delivery to help me work with my body instead of against it,” Solesky said of what is clicking. “I have a unique lower half that works in a different way so adjusting my feet on the rubber and positioning has been huge. I have been working on execution of the cutter and developing a changeup that fits into my arsenal better. My changeup was really good in Charlotte last year, but it stuck out like a sore thumb. I know my strikeout rate is down this year compared to previous years, but the batting average against, WHIP, slugging percentage against, and everything else is down because I am attacking the zone. I have been minimizing hard contact and really just using my cutter.”
As we are now heading into the second week of September, the minor league baseball season is about to come to a close. Solesky only has a few more starts left this season to end the year on as good of a note as he can to position himself for 2025.
“I want to be consistent, Solesky noted. “I am not the gut who throws 100 MPH or the guy who will take the mound and turn everyone’s heads. I will be the guy who takes the mound in the sixth inning, and it is a close ballgame and gives the team a chance to win. The goal is to end the year healthy. It has been a long and stressful year. Just continue to go out there and build off the success I have had here and continue to prove the people who believed in me right. I want to show the people who brought me in here why their choice to make me a National was a good one. I want to set myself up to be in Triple-A and make an impact at a high level for them next year.”
