There are a whopping 5.07 walks per 9 innings. Fans also had doubts about Shintaro Fujinami (29, Baltimore Orioles), who is consistently on the mound despite his pitch control being difficult to use as a bullpen.먹튀검증
Fujinami appeared as the third pitcher in the 2023 Major League (ML) away game against the Houston Astros held at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, USA on the 21st (Korean time) and allowed 1 hit, 2 walks, and 1 run in ⅓ innings.
He provided an excuse for a come-from-behind defeat. On this day, Baltimore starter Kyle Bradish pitched well with 2 hits, 2 walks, and 9 strikeouts for 6 men, maintaining the 1-0 lead that Anthony Santander gave with a timely hit with 1 RBI in the top of the first inning. However, with Baltimore leading 1-0, the victory was blown away by Fujinami, who took the mound following Jacob Webb (1 scoreless inning). In the end, Baltimore lost 1-2 after Mauricio Dubon hit a timely hit with an RBI in the bottom of the 9th inning.
Fujinami gave up a straight walk to the first batter, Jordan Alvarez, and managed to catch John Singleton with a straight hit to second base. However, he allowed another straight walk to Jose Altuve and eventually left the mound, being replaced by Mike Bowman. Fujinami’s earned run average went up as Bauman hit a timely double from Jeremy Peña.
As a result, Fujinami’s season performance became 61 games, 7 wins, 8 losses, 2 saves, and an average ERA of 7.31. In particular, control was an issue with 50 walks and 43 walks in 76 ⅓ innings (7 balls hit to the body), so 10 of the 12 pitches thrown that day were balls. The reputation of being called a rival of Shohei Otani (29, LA Angels) during high school is an embarrassing number.
However, Fujinami continues to be used even in tight situations. This also raises questions about the mercenary skills of manager Brandon Hyde, who led Baltimore to fall baseball for the first time in seven years. Coincidentally, a fan from Baltimore Baseball, an American media outlet that held a question-and-answer session with readers after the game that day, asked questions about this.
One fan named Tim Maupin asked, “Fujinami appears to be the most inconsistent reliever in Baltimore’s bullpen. So why does Coach Hyde keep putting him in at this point, especially in close games?”
The answer the media gave was ‘overwhelming power.’ Baltimore Baseball said, “Coach Hyde is using Janier Cano as his closer in the absence of closer Felix Bautista,” and “I think it would be foolish not to even consider using a player with interesting stuff like Fujinami.” Of course, his appearance on the mound that day (the 21st) was particularly problematic.”
Baltimore’s starting closer is Bautista, a fastball pitcher who throws the ball at 100 miles per hour. However, on the 26th of last month, he left the line due to shoulder pain, and since then, Kano has been playing the role of finisher. Based on stable control of the pitch, Kano is filling the gap well by recording 1 win, 3 losses, and 7 saves in 67 games, an ERA of 1.94, and 59 strikeouts in 69⅔ innings.
One thing that is disappointing is that the Baltimore bullpen does not have a suitable pitcher who can overwhelm the opponent with the pitch in a tight game. Among pitchers who have pitched more than 20 innings, only 6 pitchers have more than 10 strikeouts per 9 innings. Of those six, three have an ERA of 4 or less, including Batista, Brian Baker, and Danny Colombe, and Colombe is the only one currently remaining in the first team.
Therefore, it is important for Baltimore, which has already confirmed its advancement to the postseason, to find a bullpen to use in the game during the remaining regular season. This was the reason why Fujinami, with an ERA of 7 points, continued to be used even in close games at the end of the season.
Baltimore Baseball also explained, “Fujinami is showing inconsistent control, but his stuff could be overwhelming (to opponents). Coach Hyde will use the remaining 10 games of the regular season to evaluate Fujinami.”