Tidwell did well to induce a ground ball from Otto Kemp, but the Brett Baty-Jeff McNeil-Pete Alonso turn was a half-step slow, allowing the game’s first run to score. The righty was pulled at 74 pitches, having allowed four hits and three walks while striking out four, and Jose Castillo entered and allowed one more run to score.

Despite having a plus-slider, a four-seamer in the mid-90s, a two-seamer, a cutter, a changeup and a sweeper, Tidwell relied almost exclusively on his fastball, slider and cutter, topping out at 98.8 mph. It was by design.