His average release point was higher than his season average, but it's not like it was his max this season or anything.
I don't really see anything popping off the page, just a bunch of tiny improvements. Release point was not super low, his zone% was solid... the only things jumping up that I see were chase rates and in zone whiff rates but those are results not causes.
I agree with the above poster.
Tiny improvements + a swing happy opponent.
I actually thought he hung several curveballs early on and was perhaps lucky not to give up a homer.