D-backs pitcher Brandon Pfaadt knows the type of pitcher he needs to be

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt is hoping to use what he learned from an up-and-down rookie campaign to his advantage in Year 2.

As he told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Friday, his rookie season was “like a wave” that included the highs of spring training and the lows of being sent down to Triple-A Reno three times over the course of the regular season.

The postseason, however, was a different story and a turning point for Pfaadt, who gained consistency behind a 3.27 ERA and 26 strikeouts over five starts (22 innings pitched) in the playoffs.

“I think it obviously gave me a little boost of confidence knowing that it’s possible,” Pfaadt said. “I think anytime having that success will help you at the end of the day. Like I tell everybody getting those starts under my belt really helped me out.

“I think in the Wild Card I got that one under the belt. I went on to the (Division Series) and then every step of the way you just get a little more confident as you go. Now looking at this year I know what pitcher I need to be.”

Among Pfaadt’s postseason starts, two stand out above the rest.

He was lights out against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, allowing just two hits and no runs over 5.2 innings while striking out nine. In his next start, he struck out seven over four innings in Game 7 of the NLCS to help send the D-backs to the World Series.

Since Arizona’s World Series run came to an end, Pfaadt made sure to take little more than a month off from throwing. The young pitcher says he “feels good now and his arm feels great.”

“I obviously don’t have everything figured out, but I have more figured out than I did previously, and I think that’s how you grow as a player and that’s how I’m looking at it and just trying to keep getting better,” Pfaadt said.

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