SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Feb. 23) \u2014 Right-hander J.T. Ginn<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s first spring outing of 2026 with the Athletics<\/a> wasn\u2019t another run-of-the-mill early spring tune-up. It was the first real look at a delivery and pitch mix he\u2019s been building toward all offseason.<\/p>\n Ginn went back to working from a full windup in Monday\u2019s appearance against the San Francisco Giants<\/a>. The change, he said, grew out of conversations with pitching coach Scott Emerson<\/a><\/strong> and is designed to help him get into a rhythm earlier in games. \u201cMe and Emo talked about it. It helps me get into a rhythm early and find that athleticism,\u201d Ginn said, \u201cinstead of starting out in the stretch and being there the whole game.\u201d<\/p>\n Ginn explained that starting from the windup, rather than living in the stretch for an entire outing, helps him feel more like an athlete on the mound. The extra movement and flow give him a chance to sync up his body and timing before he releases the ball, something he believes is key to him being at his best.<\/p>\n He is not new to the windup. Ginn used it in college and has used versions of it throughout his pro career, including a modified look before 2025. Last year was his first season throwing exclusively out of the stretch, and this spring he\u2019s intent on leaning into the windup again, using it as the foundation for everything else he\u2019s trying to do.<\/p>\n Ginn\u2019s renewed commitment to the windup is about more than aesthetics. For him, it\u2019s the delivery that best matches how he naturally throws the ball.<\/p>\n Working from the windup allows him to build momentum through his motion, which he believes helps him repeat his mechanics and carry a consistent tempo throughout an outing. Instead of simplifying to the stretch for the sake of quickness, Ginn is choosing the option that lets him feel the most athletic. \u201cI think I\u2019m at my best when I feel athletic in my throw,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n By leaning into the windup again this spring, Ginn is betting that a more natural, athletic delivery can support the command gains he\u2019s chasing. It\u2019s the delivery he wants as the base for his entire approach on the mound.<\/p>\n The delivery tweak is only part of the story. J.T. Ginn spent the offseason refining his arsenal, with an emphasis on command and zone presence.<\/p>\n \u201cThe biggest thing for us was, going into the offseason, working on the command of the cutter and the changeup. Then (we added) the four-seam,\u201d Ginn said. \u201cThe big thing for me is getting in the zone more. I think the four-seam will help me do that.\u201d<\/p>\n He added that he\u2019s also working on refining the cutter and change-up to get those pitches \u201cin the zone a lot more.\u201d He has focused heavily on tightening the location of his cutter and changeup so he can use them more confidently in any count. On top of that, the four-seam fastball will give hitters a different look, especially at the top of the zone.<\/p>\n For Ginn, the common goal behind those adjustments is simple: live in the zone more consistently. A sharper cutter and changeup, paired with a true four-seamer, give him multiple looks he can trust around the plate rather than relying on just one or two offerings. It\u2019s all aimed at creating more competitive pitches more often and turning his revamped windup into a platform for a deeper, more reliable mix.<\/p>\n Ginn felt some of that offseason work begin to show up in game action Monday. The results were there as well. In his two innings, he struck out the side in the first and tossed a 1-2-3 second. Each batter in the second grounded to short. Additionally, one of the three he struck out was Luis Arraez<\/a><\/strong>. In 2025, Arraez only struck out 21 times in 675 plate appearances (3.1%) \u2014 by far the lowest rate in the majors.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought the cutter and the four-seam were good,\u201d Ginn said. He added that his sinker running in on left-handed hitters \u201cwas really good\u201d as well.<\/p>\n More than any individual pitch, Ginn liked that his misses stayed competitive. \u201cOverall, just, you know, everything was on the plate and close to the plate,\u201d Ginn said. \u201cSo I think I pretty much had everything working for myself.\u201d These are the kinds of locations that can still generate weak contact or swings even when they aren\u2019t perfect.<\/p>\n As spring training moves forward, that will be the blueprint: stay in the windup, trust the rhythm it creates, and let a refined mix of cutter, changeup, four-seam and sinker work in and around the strike zone for the Athletics.<\/p>\n The Giants defeated the Athletics in Monday\u2019s game, 6\u20132. On Tuesday, the Athletics will host the NL runner-up Milwaukee Brewers<\/a> in Cactus League action. First pitch at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona will be at 1:05 pm Mountain\/12:05 pm Pacific.<\/p>\nWhy J.T. Ginn Is Committing to the Windup<\/h3>\n
Offseason Pitching Adjustments: Cutter, Changeup, and Four-Seamer<\/h3>\n
How J.T. Ginn Fared against the Giants<\/h3>\n
Looking Ahead<\/h3>\n
Main Photo:<\/h4>\n