The Los Angeles Dodgers, a team stacked with high-paid pitchers, have had an uncharacteristically rocky start to their season, standing 21st in Major League Baseball with a 4.18 earned-run average. It’s an eye-opener, considering their elite lineup of aces and relievers. Yet, with the season still young, the Dodgers can find solace in the emergence of Matt Sauer.

Sauer, at 26, is catching attention with a stellar start. He’s flaunting a 2.30 ERA over five games, including a start, making him one of the rare Dodgers pitchers this season to keep his walk and hits per innings pitched (WHIP) under 1.00 while tossing over 15 innings. What’s truly remarkable is Sauer’s rapid evolution into an essential piece for last year’s World Series champs.

Once a struggling Rule 5 draft pick trying to find his footing between the Kansas City Royals bullpen and the Yankees’ Double-A team, Sauer’s transformation has been nothing short of dramatic. Now, he stands as a linchpin in a rotation plagued by injuries.

So, what’s the secret behind Sauer’s unexpected climb? It’s a blend that echoes an age-old wedding adage: Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something (Dodger) blue.

The key was a return to familiar mechanics from his high school days, taught to him by the Dodgers’ trusted coaches, Ryan Dennick and Dave Anderson, down in Triple-A. This has seen him revisit a lower arm slot that adds a layer of deception, making his arsenal of five pitches even more potent.

A real game-changer has been the introduction of a cutter to his repertoire. Borrowed from Dennick’s know-how, Sauer’s cutter isn’t merely another pitch in his toolkit; it’s now the linchpin, thrown more than any other pitch at 37.1% according to Statcast. This adaptation cleverly builds on his four-seam fastball’s existing cut profile.

Sauer’s evolution into a pitcher with a varied selection of fastballs—a cutter, sinker, and his trusty four-seamer—has significantly altered his impact on the mound. Last year, batters smacked his four-seamer for a .414 average with heavy damage, but this season, it’s holding opponents to a .250 average without conceding extra-base hits, despite dipping slightly in velocity.

Beyond stats, the physical demands of pitching have eased up for Sauer. After enduring two elbow surgeries during his stint with the Yankees and dealing with an unstable arm slot last year in Kansas City, he’s now found steadiness and relief.

“My recovery’s been significantly better,” Sauer shared. “I’m not as sore after long outings, which is huge for me.”

Given the Dodgers’ significant injuries to key starters like Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, and Shohei Ohtani, Sauer’s newfound success story is even more vital. From a non-roster invitee to an indispensable swingman, Sauer is proving his mettle.

And as Sauer himself puts it, he’s cherishing every moment of this baseball journey: “It’s still the game of baseball. I want to enjoy it wherever I’m at.”