Noe Toribio Sees Growth As a Reliever

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – It was a season of ups and downs for Noe Toribio in 2022.

The right-handed pitcher dominated in 15 games with Double-A Altoona to begin the season. He pitched to a 1.85 ERA and struck out 10.6 per nine innings. There was nothing left for him to prove, so he was promoted to Indianapolis and made his Triple-A debut on June 23.

Toribio got off to a quick start with Indianapolis. In his first eight games, he allowed seven runs and 10 hits in 17 innings.

“I was working on a good routine in preparation for the game everyday,” Toribio said through translation. “That gave me the best chance for success. I was getting to know myself, and how to do the little things when I got to the higher levels.”

To further emphasize his early success , four hits and four runs came in one outing. Conversely, he also had an appearance where he struck out six in three innings.

August and September were not kind to Toribio. He allowed runs in nine of his 11 appearances. In 10 of those he allowed multiple runs. Overall, with Indianapolis, his hits and walks were up, while strikeouts were down.

Despite the lumps, Toribio is treating it as a learning experience.

“I am feeling really good,“ Toribio said. “I am learning so much about the preparation for every day, getting closer to the big leagues.”

This has been a season of continued change. Toribio had worked primarily as a starter, until midway through the 2021 season. He spent some time on the IL last year. When he was activated in August, he was transitioned into a reliever, and has not looked back.

This year, he has made just three starts in 37 appearances. With Indianapolis, the two starts he made were as an opener.

Toribio dominated as a reliever in 2021 in Double-A. He allowed just nine hits and three runs in six games with Altoona last year out of the bullpen.

According to Toribio, the biggest difference comes to how the preparation occurs. As a starter, he spent a lot more time preparing for the lineup. As a reliever, he is able to focus on his pitches and empty the tank.

While the results were not there with Indianapolis down the stretch, Toribio has seen a lot more success as a reliever. The early time spent in Triple-A this year has created some encouragement for the right hander. Returning to Indianapolis next year will be a barometer to see what levels Toribio can reach out of the bullpen.