shohei ohtani splitter grip

.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__item:focus{outline:1px dotted #041E42;}/*!sc*/ Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Ohtani started mixing the sinker into his repertoire in his Aug. 15 start against the Mariners, then he threw a bunch more in his last outing against the Blue Jays (and in those two games, he allowed only two runs in 13 innings with 17 strikeouts). .dLQAwR a{color:#057AFF;}/*!sc*/ Reply .hUHmCp > article > aside{display:none;}/*!sc*/ .blLcNM .content >:nth-last-child(2){border:none;margin-right:auto;padding-right:48px;}/*!sc*/ The SF Giants face Angels ace Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday in Anaheim OAKLAND, CA - MAY 27: Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) smiles at fans while walking to the dugout before the. It's the perfect complement to his fastball and splitter, because the action on those three pitches takes them in three directions. .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu--icon span:nth-child(3){-webkit-transform:rotate(-45deg);-ms-transform:rotate(-45deg);transform:rotate(-45deg);}/*!sc*/ It wasnt a perfect day for Ohtanis splitter, however, as Rays catcher Wilson Ramos actually managed to get his bat on one in the seventh inning. BestsellerThe Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. Ohtani is 9-2 with a 3.28 ERA in 22 starts, with 146 strikeouts, 44 walks and a 1.11 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning). @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium.woff2') format('woff2'), url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium.woff') format('woff');font-weight:500;font-style:normal;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search-item__image-thumbnail{margin-top:auto;height:45px;}/*!sc*/ @media only screen and (min-width:568px){.kwDmpG{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-flex:1;-webkit-flex-grow:1;-ms-flex-positive:1;flex-grow:1;margin-right:8px;}}/*!sc*/ Combien gagne t il d argent ? .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu--icon span{display:block;position:absolute;height:2px;width:24px;background:#ffffff;opacity:1;-webkit-transform:rotate(0deg);-ms-transform:rotate(0deg);transform:rotate(0deg);-webkit-transition:all 250ms ease-in-out;transition:all 250ms ease-in-out;border-radius:3px;}/*!sc*/ You'll be nervous. It was one thing to hear about Ohtani's 100 mph fastball and watch the Nippon Professional Baseball highlights on YouTube in the winter of 2017-18. I felt really good in the first inning, but I was trying to do too much in the second, Fujinami said through interpreter Issei Kamada. This season, it's averaging 14.1 inches of sweep from right to left, which is 7.9 inches above average -- fifth best among all sliders. Highest strikeout rate with a single pitch type, 2021Minimum 20 PA ending on that pitch type. Because while the Angels phenom slugged his way to 40 home runs and an .883 OPS through his first two MLB seasons, proving he can hit with the best, Ohtani hasn't taken the mound for a start in nearly two full calendar years. Each allowed only one run in a tremendous pitching duel between the Angels and Giants. .fYCiRB{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;height:40px;width:40px;}/*!sc*/ Its just a spring game. I think he was experimenting with some different grips, and apparently it was working pretty well. In case you were wondering, the one hitter to reach base against Ohtani's splitter is reigning American League MVP Jos Abreu, who drew a walk against it on a full-count splitter that Ohtani helicoptered way up and out of the strike zone. Second, consider Ohtani's two wipeout out pitches: his splitter and his slider. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item__link{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-weight:700;-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;padding:10px 12px;}/*!sc*/ Its almost an even split, but RHH are hitting .063 with a .084 SLIG against Ohtani splitters and .208 with .375 SLG against Ohtani sliders. No one else has been so lucky. We can only wait with anticipation for what comes next. Had he come back and said its still a little bit tender, I probably would have gone in a different direction, but [Wise] said it was one of his better side pieces, so let him go. .mHQYb .p-search-item__team-logo{margin-right:15px;max-height:25px;width:25px;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--parent[aria-expanded='true'] .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner a,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--parent[aria-expanded='true'] .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner span{color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ But the Angels cant say Ohtani exceeded expectations, because they didnt have an innings range in mind for him this season. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav--teams__team--name{display:none;}/*!sc*/ At the plate, he belted home runs in three consecutive games, crushing one pitch Friday for the seventh-longest homer of the young 2018 season. All of this obviously comes with the usual small-sample caveats and then some. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .mlb-header--inner{margin:auto;max-width:none;position:relative;}/*!sc*/ html{font-size:16px;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;}/*!sc*/ textarea{overflow:auto;}/*!sc*/ Ohtani throws his four-seamer hard and true, with a little bit of rise. On April 26th, Ohtani only threw 6.7% cutters, but he gave up a three-run homer to Nate Lowe on a cutter, so that is considered a cutter start. .fvEQJr{bottom:0;left:0;position:absolute;right:0;top:0;}/*!sc*/ .epHHrr{text-align:center;max-width:100%;margin:0 auto;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .icon-globe{margin-left:32px;}/*!sc*/ .jDETbc{font-family:"proxima-nova","open Sans","Helvetica","Arial",sans-serif;font-size:40px;color:#222222;margin:0;}/*!sc*/ That's three-quarters of their swings. Hes working so hard this camp to prove to not only other people, but to himself, that he is this type of player. .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu--icon span:nth-child(1),.mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu--icon span:nth-child(4){opacity:0;}/*!sc*/ Ohtanis eight-inning no-decision pushed him to 123 1/3 innings this season. In January 2019, Ohtani visited a sick infant named Shohei Kawasaki to offer encouragement as the child's family faced a crisis -- struggling to raise funds for the 1-year-old boy's heart. data-styled.g157[id="newsletterOptinstyle__Title-sc-d7sh2p-2"]{content:"ihHuHi,"}/*!sc*/ @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-extrabold-italic.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-extrabold-italic.woff') format('woff');font-style:italic;font-weight:800;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ .hspSPq:hover{cursor:pointer;background-color:#0462CC;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header[data-is-club] .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__tagline img,.mHQYb header.mlb-header[data-is-microsite] .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__tagline img{height:56px;max-width:512px;line-height:56px;}/*!sc*/ I want to keep on throwing I think every time I throw, I learn something and get better, Ohtani said. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button-menu{-webkit-flex:0 0 auto;-ms-flex:0 0 auto;flex:0 0 auto;}/*!sc*/ Now that Ohtani is throwing both a four-seamer and a sinker, he can take advantage of two key pitch combos: four-seam/splitter and sinker/slider. Shohei Ohtani did in 2022 what no other player in baseball history had done. Will Democrats Rally Behind President Biden In 2024? data-styled.g140[id="sharestyle__Label-sc-9nfkvu-0"]{content:"ezZJVn,"}/*!sc*/ .kKeedG:hover{border-bottom:none;color:#0048AB;}/*!sc*/ According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he is the first MLB player since the dead-ball era1 to get two wins as a pitcher and hit three home runs in his teams first 10 games of a season meaning few baseball fans were alive the last time a two-way player did what Ohtani has done. .mHQYb .p-search__list--sm{font-size:12px;min-width:150px;}/*!sc*/ article > header{padding:0 16px;}/*!sc*/ If you read the scouting reports written before Ohtanis debut, pitching was always supposed to be his strongest suit. Ohtani's splitter is generating the highest swing-and-miss rate of any individual pitch in MLB. Sa fortune s lve 300 000 000,00 euros mensuels @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__logo img{min-height:40px;max-height:40px;}}/*!sc*/ With his sinker averaging 16 inches of run from left to right, those two pitches can diverge by 30 inches if he starts them out in the same spot. .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--parent[aria-expanded='true'] .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner::after{display:inline-block;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner .p-icon *{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ \n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550},"type":"oembed"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"On April 24, 2018, Ohtani blew a 100.6 mph fastball past Josh Reddick -- the fastest pitch to get a swing-and-miss by any starter all year.\n\nA few weeks before that, on April 8, when he took a perfect game into the seventh inning in his second MLB start, he fanned Marcus Semien with a 99.6 mph fastball for his personal-best strikeout velo in the big leagues. The new approach has allowed Gausman to flourish this season. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu{cursor:pointer;}/*!sc*/ For the season, Ohtani is getting whiffs on 57% of swings on the splitter and 37% whiffs from the slider. Backs Aaron Judge for the 2022 AL MVP Award, Tinkering with Shohei Ohtanis Pitch Usage. Ohtani was scheduled to start Friday nights series opener against the As but was scratched after experiencing some general soreness in his pitching arm following a game of catch on Wednesday. .jehbss{height:auto;width:100%;background-color:#F0F0F0;border-radius:8px;}/*!sc*/ I feel good physically, so I wanted to try more splitters.. Nikola Joki is your 2023 NBA MVP right? .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner{width:100%;display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-align-content:center;-ms-flex-line-pack:center;align-content:center;position:relative;}/*!sc*/ .hedPca{color:#666666;font-size:0.833rem;font-weight:500;margin-bottom:24px;padding-top:8px;}/*!sc*/ I spoke with Perry [Minasian, Angels general manager] in spring training, and we decided just to watch and see how hes doing and make decisions based on where hes at during the course of the year. @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium.woff') format('woff');font-weight:500;font-style:normal;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ He's routinely throwing splitters in the low 90s -- 11 of his 23 swinging strikes have been on splitters 90 mph or faster, as have 11 of his 18 K's. + View Shohei Ohtani's Pitches in 3d + Similar Pitchers to Shohei Ohtani Based on Velocity and Movement: 2021 - Dinelson Lamet 2021 - Luis Gil Your login session has expired. Do you remember how absurd the numbers are for Ohtani's splitter? body.side-nav-open{max-height:100vh;overflow:hidden;overscroll-behavior:none;touch-action:none;position:fixed;top:0;width:100vw;}/*!sc*/ #react-header{width:100%;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g161[id="newsletterOptinstyle__Submit-sc-d7sh2p-6"]{content:"huJzbO,"}/*!sc*/ That's three-quarters of their swings. As the book comes in on Ohtani and his uber-out pitch, its unlikely that hell continue to befuddle hitters quite so much with the splitter. Shohei Ohtani has been known to speak through a translator at many press appearances. Of course, its not going to move the needle in the present tense, Maddon said, but who knows? Shohei Ohtani 's first spring training start for the Los Angeles Angels will be against his fellow countryman: The Athletics' Shintaro Fujinami. But there are at least a few signs that Ohtani might cool down from his early 1.310 on-base plus slugging start at the plate. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item__link .icon__nav-item{margin-right:5px;width:10px;height:15px;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;}/*!sc*/ Of the 108 pitches he threw in an eight-inning, two-run, five-hit, 10-strikeout effort, 55 were splitters, the most thrown in a game by any pitcher since 2008, per Statcast. Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani tosses the ball while on the mound against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__item:hover{background-color:#057AFF;color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ code,kbd,samp{font-family:monospace,monospace;font-size:1em;}/*!sc*/ His splitter usage is up 11% from 2020. .epHHrr iframe{max-width:100%;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search-item__info{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;}/*!sc*/ .hUHmCp > article{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(12,minmax(0,1fr));grid-gap:24px;color:#000000;}/*!sc*/ This was all in a sequence that has been described as the best back-to-back performance in MLB history. That's just as a hitter. Ohtani should be throwing his best pitch more than 18.5% of the time. .groqnz.markdown.youtube,.groqnz.photo figcaption.youtube,.groqnz.oembed .social-embed.youtube{padding:0;}/*!sc*/ As a pitcher who is known to throw well over 100 miles per hour, Ohtani's fastball is a major money-maker for him. Its just a spring game. .mHQYb .p-search__list--multiple-type .p-search-item--team + .p-search-item--player.p-search-item--es:before{content:'Jugadores';}/*!sc*/ .sczZi{border-bottom:1px solid #dddddd;border-top:1px solid #dddddd;font-size:1rem;margin:32px 16px;padding:32px 0;}/*!sc*/ Ohtani's four-seamer has only 3.3 inches of horizontal movement, and his splitter has only 5.4 inches of horizontal movement. That makes it a lot easier to understand 18 strikeouts in 19 at-bats and a little harder to understand how it isn't 19 out of 19. pic.twitter.com/qL93S80bhY. . data-styled.g163[id="Styles__OEmbedContainer-oapuup-0"]{content:"epHHrr,"}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g166[id="Styles__VideoPlayerContainer-t94iyc-0"]{content:"XOHMa,"}/*!sc*/ This is from Premier 12. .mHQYb .p-search-item__container:hover{background-color:#e6f2ff75;color:#333333;}/*!sc*/ Adam Eaton was the first to strike out against Ohtani's splitter. Hes working so hard this camp to prove to not only other people, but to himself, that he is this type of player. data-styled.g154[id="newsletterLogostyle__NewsletterLogoContainer-sc-j5dgcz-0"]{content:"bZhBFV,"}/*!sc*/ 19 Nov, 2021 Ohtani is both an ace pitcher and a slugger at bat. data-styled.g122[id="Styles__HeadlineContainer-sc-19rm04l-0"]{content:"dMKvOx,"}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top > *{-webkit-order:0;-ms-flex-order:0;order:0;-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;}/*!sc*/ He lost control in the second inning, but good pitchers get those outs when they need.. @media only screen and (min-width:568px){.hYmwpY{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;}}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .mlb-header__login-menu{border-color:#057AFF;}/*!sc*/ Two things are true: Shohei Ohtani is not having as good a season in 2022 as he did in 2021, and Ohtani is having an incredible 2022 season. The knock on Fujinami from his time in Japan was that his command can sometimes get out of whack. Opponents are hitting .067 against his splitter this year. But his two breaking pitches, his slider and curveball, aren't just ornamental. window.appId = '' .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu--icon span:nth-child(2),.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu--icon span:nth-child(3){top:8px;}/*!sc*/ .hHLkAw input::placeholder{color:#aaaaaa;}/*!sc*/ He had good command of it. It was a really good one, and I looked at [pitching coach Matt Wise] and said, Splitter? A voice from behind the camera asks Ohtani to grip each ball as if he were to throw a different pitch each time. Its been no more complicated than that, really.. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .icon *{fill:currentColor;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item .icon__nav-item{margin-right:8px;width:18px;height:14px;float:left;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g148[id="Styles__FigureContainer-iefwtj-0"]{content:"fFwXhn,"}/*!sc*/ The litany of physical ailments and procedures he has endured have raised fair questions about whether such . fieldset{padding:0.35em 0.75em 0.625em;}/*!sc*/ You'll be nervous. hr{box-sizing:content-box;height:0;overflow:visible;}/*!sc*/ Ohtanis split-finger fastball in particular might be the nastiest pitch in baseball so far this season. .mHQYb header.mlb-header{width:100%;font-family:'proxima-nova','mlb-primary','Helvetica Neue', 'Helvetica','Arial',sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-size:14px;font-weight:500;line-height:15px;color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .mlb-header__login-menu--open{display:block;left:auto;opacity:1;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__item:focus,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__item:hover{border-radius:3px;background-color:#dddddd;color:#002867;}/*!sc*/ See Shohei Ohtani and his unfair splitters. .ggWmAj .sticky-header__share button{font-weight:600;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav--teams__team--logo{height:24px;width:24px;padding:2px 2px 2px 0;margin-right:2px;display:inline-block;}/*!sc*/ body{margin:0;}/*!sc*/ sub{bottom:-0.25em;}/*!sc*/ We're talking about Shohei Ohtani's splitter. .mHQYb .p-search__list--multiple-type .p-search-item--team.p-search-item--es:first-of-type:before{content:'Equipos';}/*!sc*/ .kKeedG{color:#057AFF;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;border-bottom:none;font-family:"proxima-nova","open Sans","Helvetica","Arial",sans-serif;}/*!sc*/ The first grip that Ohtani is prompted to show is his fastball grip. The video goes on to showcase Shohei Ohtani's slider, splitter, and cutter. In five non-cutter starts, Ohtani has a 1.95 ERA compared to a 3.26 ERA in seven cutter starts. h5.headlinestyle__HeadlineWrapper-sc-1ccyctx-0{font-weight:normal;}/*!sc*/ .evGxub{display:inline-block;width:48px;height:48px;border-radius:50%;-webkit-border-radius:50%;overflow:hidden;position:relative;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu--icon span:nth-child(2){-webkit-transform:rotate(45deg);-ms-transform:rotate(45deg);transform:rotate(45deg);}/*!sc*/ Jul 9, 2021 Time to get to work! Well start attacking hitters and thinking the same way. He injured his groin just over a week into the season.. But where his four-seamer drops 14.6 inches, his splitter drops 31.7 inches. .dLQAwR a:hover{color:#0048AB;}/*!sc*/ Shohei Ohtani, 4-seamer vs. new sinker -- movement4-seam: 100 mph / 6 inches of runSinker: 97 mph / 15 inches of run pic.twitter.com/5y7j8644Ni. Its been no more complicated than that, really.. ","type":"markdown"},{"__typename":"Video","contentDate":"2021-04-05T04:56:04.5Z","description":"Shohei Ohtani throws a few pitches over 100 miles per hour and gets pumped up after striking out Luis Robert","displayAsVideoGif":false,"duration":"00:00:25","mp4AvcPlayback":"https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2021/2021-04/04/df1cc56e-437b5b74-ae564962-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4","slug":"shohei-ohtani-gets-pumped-after-k","tags":[{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"gamepk-634637","title":"2021/04/04 cws@ana"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"teamid-108","title":"Los Angeles Angels"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"playerid-660271","title":"Shohei Ohtani"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"highlight","title":"highlight"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"pitching","title":"pitching"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"group-3","title":"group 3"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"international-feed","title":"International Partner feed"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"eclat-feed","title":"Eclat feed"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"yahoo-fantasy","title":"Yahoo Fantasy"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"1-yahoo-fantasy-feed","title":"1-Yahoo Fantasy Feed"}],"templateUrl":"https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/private/{formatInstructions}/mlb/cjxtqyzhtbfqwih2z62a","title":"Shohei Ohtani gets pumped after K","type":"video","url":"/video/shohei-ohtani-gets-pumped-after-k"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"The secret to Ohtani's splitter is the direction of its movement. .mHQYb .p-search-item__image-thumbnail--rounded{background-color:#f7f7f7;margin-top:0;margin-left:0.25rem;height:40px;border:1px solid #e2e2e2;border-radius:50%;}/*!sc*/ . Speaking to reporters Thursday, Fujinami. Slider (37.4%) 4-Seam Fastball (27.6%) Split Finger (11.9%) Cutter (8.6%) Curveball (8.6%) Sinker (3.7%) Sweeper (2.2%) + If Available Pitches Click to Video. I know that Fuji wants to be a special player. Ohtani, who ranks third in the American League with 44 homers and is in the thick of the AL most valuable player race, has no desire to ease his workload in the final two weeks of the season. Advanced metrics agree as well. data-styled.g10[id="buttonstyle__Label-sc-vlv7w5-0"]{content:"iwXciG,"}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__main-nav,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__subnav{height:100%;overflow-x:hidden;overflow-y:auto;overscroll-behavior:contain;touch-action:manipulation;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch;}/*!sc*/ They've whiffed on 17 of those swings. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__sponsor-logo,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__url-logo{padding-left:20px;-webkit-box-pack:end;-webkit-justify-content:flex-end;-ms-flex-pack:end;justify-content:flex-end;}/*!sc*/ .blUWSx .share-icon__button{background:none;border:none;padding:0;}/*!sc*/ Maddon believes the benefits of pitching Sunday and making one or possibly two more starts this season could be felt in 2022. .mHQYb .p-search__status{left:-9999px;position:absolute;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__secondary-logos > *{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;}/*!sc*/ Its understandable if Fujinami might have wanted to put on a show. pic.twitter.com/6YdKWSQJzY Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 7, 2022 Ohtani's two-run single in. Imagine being a hitter who has to tell those two pitches apart -- especially when Ohtani's fastball is coming in at 100-plus mph, and his splitter, an "offspeed" pitch, is coming in at 90-plus mph. .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner{opacity:1;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item{border-color:rgba(255,255,255,0.15);background-color:#041E42;}/*!sc*/ @media screen and (min-width:1024px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item:hover{background-color:#057AFF;}}/*!sc*/ Toward the end of the video, Ohtani is asked to present his sinker grip. It was a no-doubter, as it left the bat at 102.7 mph and . Ohtani has been performing. He's averaging 89.9 mph on the split-finger in 2021, up over two-and-a-half ticks from the 87.3 mph he averaged as a rookie in 2018. The early results should certainly encourage Ohtani to keep throwing sinkers down the stretch. .groqnz .ad-body-container .ad-body-inner-container::before{color:#dddddd;content:"ADVERTISEMENT";display:block;font-family:"proxima-nova","open Sans","Helvetica","Arial",sans-serif;font-size:0.694rem;line-height:13px;position:absolute;top:17px;text-align:center;width:100%;}/*!sc*/ And all hes done on the mound since is compile some truly eye-catching stats: So far this year, Ohtani has the fourth-highest strikeout percentage and the 17th-lowest walk percentage among qualified pitchers, and he ranks fourth in strikeout-to-walk percentage differential one of the strongest predictors of how well a pitcher will perform going forward. .ezZJVn:hover{cursor:pointer;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g100[id="styles__SearchWidgetContainer-sc-1vorjk3-0"]{content:"fYCiRB,"}/*!sc*/ .hspSPq:hover svg path{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ At this point, Ohtani going for nine strikeouts in 7.2 innings and generally bewitching opposing hitters isnt much of a surprise, since hes paired masterful control with devastating velocity since he made his major-league debut. data-styled.g164[id="Styles__AspectRatioContainer-sc-1t1lmmv-0"]{content:"jiNMQU,"}/*!sc*/ main{display:block;}/*!sc*/ \n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550},"type":"oembed"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"First, here's how Ohtani's sinker compares to his normal four-seamer.\n\n**4-seamer:** 97.2 mph / 2,220 rpm / 14.6\" of drop / 3.3\" of break \n**Sinker:** 97.6 mph / 1,994 rpm / 21.6\" of drop / 16.0\" of break\n\nIt's the difference you'd hope for. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner::after{display:none;content:'';width:0;height:0;position:absolute;left:auto;right:-1px;top:33%;z-index:calc(99992 + 1);border-color:transparent #ffffff transparent transparent;border-style:solid;border-width:8px;}/*!sc*/ @media (min-width:768px){.ggWmAj{max-height:60px;padding:16px 32px 16px 24px;}}/*!sc*/ Of further concern: Hes striking out four times for every walk, swinging at the first pitch far too frequently (1.5 times as often as the average batter) and getting himself into a good hitters count3 about half as often as the average batter. With a lengthy effort in his next start, or with two more starts, he could surpass 130 innings. Ohtani's four-seamer works especially well with his splitter because they both come straight at the hitter -- but the four-seamer will carry through the zone, and the splitter will drop out. @supports (-moz-appearance:none){.koKsQt .share-button__square,.koKsQt .share-button__email{-webkit-filter:brightness(0%);filter:brightness(0%);}}/*!sc*/ His sinker fades down and to the arm side, breaking over a foot more than his four-seam fastball while dropping seven additional inches. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav--teams__team{width:100%;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-pack:start;justify-content:flex-start;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .account--logged-in.active::after{background:#057AFF;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g115[id="sc-global-cDsONp1"]{content:"sc-global-cDsONp1,"}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__logo--mlb img{margin:auto;}/*!sc*/