His sinker fades down and to the arm side, breaking over a foot more than his four-seam fastball while dropping seven additional inches. Faced . .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*/ Aside from the subtle differences in the gameplay That early? Maddon said after a 3-2, 10-inning loss to the Oakland Athletics in Angel Stadium. Ohhhh . Shohei Ohtani unbuckles his pants in the middle of a baseball game .huJzbO{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;}/*!sc*/ What is Shohei Ohtani worth on the market? - Deadspin fieldset{padding:0.35em 0.75em 0.625em;}/*!sc*/ It didnt bother me, Fujinami said of the extra attention. body.side-nav-open{max-height:100vh;overflow:hidden;overscroll-behavior:none;touch-action:none;position:fixed;top:0;width:100vw;}/*!sc*/ Ohtani's sinker spin rate of 1,994 rpm is about 150 rpm lower than the league-average sinker spin rate this season, 2,140 rpm. .evGxub{display:inline-block;width:48px;height:48px;border-radius:50%;-webkit-border-radius:50%;overflow:hidden;position:relative;}/*!sc*/ 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. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__tagline{margin-right:auto;display:none;}/*!sc*/ Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. In 2021, it was the cutter he introduced in April and started throwing regularly in mid-May. Shohei Ohtani has been known to speak through a translator at many press appearances. Special accommodations even had to be made at Hohokam for the larger-than-usual media contingent, which included 40 members of Japanese media. Ohtani's slider is his main breaking pitch -- the curve is more of a "show me" pitch in the low 70s to keep hitters off balance -- so let's focus on the slider for now. Sports News Without Fear, Favor or Compromise. As unreal as the hype was around Ohtani before he ever played an MLB game, somehow the beginning of his career has exceeded it. When Shohei Ohtani first signed for the Los Angeles Angels as a mythical two-way player from the Far East with an ace arm and parking-lot power, baseball fans couldn't help themselves. Highest strikeout rate with a single pitch type, 2021Minimum 20 PA ending on that pitch type. The list of Ohtani splitter strikeout victims includes Matt Olson (four times), Matt Chapman (twice), Marcus Semien (twice), Yuli Gurriel (twice), Nelson Cruz and Jos Altuve -- great hitters waving at a great pitch. Please logout and login again. @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav--teams__leagues{min-width:600px;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav--teams__divisions{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav--teams__divisions > *{-webkit-flex:1 0 200px;-ms-flex:1 0 200px;flex:1 0 200px;margin-left:0;}}/*!sc*/ From the opposing side, Fujinami left a strong first impression. @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-regular-italic.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-regular-italic.woff') format('woff');font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ I think he was experimenting with some different grips, and apparently it was working pretty well. .cwEpxl{height:100%;width:100%;border:transparent;background:none;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:0.2s;transition:0.2s;padding:0px;}/*!sc*/ (Its barely been one week!) .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*/ article ul{list-style:disc;}/*!sc*/ As a pitcher, he's rocking a 132 ERA+and striking out. .epHHrr.youtube iframe{max-width:100%;}/*!sc*/ Los Angeles Angels (35) Shohei Ohtani's Splitter Is What Makes Him Truly Great hr{box-sizing:content-box;height:0;overflow:visible;}/*!sc*/ A 100 mph fastball, an unhittable splitter, one of the biggest-breaking sliders in the league and that's just Ohtani the pitcher. Maybe he was when he actually did hit him on Canha's next at-bat, but it didn't matter cuz both Ohtani and Canha laughed it off and smiled at each other with a "we're cool" gesture. It was another to see the hype become real in the Major Leagues. .blUWSx .share-button__link--message{position:absolute;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;height:100%;left:-105px;bottom:2px;padding:0 5px;border-radius:5px;background:#041E42;color:#ffffff;font-family:"proxima-nova","open Sans","Helvetica","Arial",sans-serif;font-size:12px;}/*!sc*/ (Richard W. Rodriguez / Associated Press) For most of the 60-foot path to the plate, it. We only have a couple games left. It comes straight at the hitter, with barely any horizontal movement. The only counterevidence to Ohtanis dominance is sample sizehes thrown 158 splitters this yearwhich sums up how thoroughly the Angels pitcher is owning opposing batters right now. But in the middle of the [second inning] I got the feel back.. .kwDmpG{display:block;font-weight:500;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g100[id="styles__SearchWidgetContainer-sc-1vorjk3-0"]{content:"fYCiRB,"}/*!sc*/ @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-bold-italic.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-bold-italic.woff') format('woff');font-weight:700;font-style:italic;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ Toward the end of the video, Ohtani is asked to present his sinker grip. Shohei Ohtani Unleashed With the so-called Ohtani rules junked, the Angels' "super freak" is dominating as a hitter and a pitcher. 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Ohtani was definitely feeling the splitter on Sunday. window.appId = '' data-styled.g144[id="Styles__StickyHeaderContainer-sc-1wye7kw-0"]{content:"ggWmAj,"}/*!sc*/ .hspSPq .buttonstyle__Label-sc-vlv7w5-0{font-family:"proxima-nova","open Sans","Helvetica","Arial",sans-serif;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search__input--icon{position:absolute;top:0.75rem;right:1rem;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-items{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;width:100%;padding:0px;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container{-webkit-order:99;-ms-flex-order:99;order:99;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex:99 1 100%;-ms-flex:99 1 100%;flex:99 1 100%;width:100%;}/*!sc*/ Im going to be pitching next year and beyond, so I think this whole experience is gonna help me down the road. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item:focus a{outline:1px dotted #fff;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g154[id="newsletterLogostyle__NewsletterLogoContainer-sc-j5dgcz-0"]{content:"bZhBFV,"}/*!sc*/ window.adobeAnalytics = {"reportingSuiteId":"mlbglobal08,mlbcom08","linkInternalFilters":"mlb"} html{font-size:16px;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button.account{-webkit-box-pack:end;-webkit-justify-content:flex-end;-ms-flex-pack:end;justify-content:flex-end;padding:0 0 0 4px;white-space:nowrap;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;}/*!sc*/ .blUWSx .share-icon__close{width:18px;}/*!sc*/ The more I catch him and the more we work together, the more Im going to start to think like him, Langeliers said. Ohtani's NEW Splitter: One of the Best Pitches Getting Better - YouTube .fFwXhn{margin:0;}/*!sc*/ He's got a good arm. (So much for those shaky spring training stats, huh?) .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item--spotlight:hover .header__nav-top__nav-item__text{color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button .header__nav-top__nav-item__text{display:none;}/*!sc*/ The type of sinker/slider combo he can throw -- covering the strike zone horizontally, with the sinker and slider both getting big horizontal break, but in opposite directions -- has started to pop up in a number of top pitchers' repertoires. .mHQYb header.mlb-header a:focus,.mHQYb header.mlb-header button:focus,.mHQYb header.mlb-header [class*='__nav']:focus{outline:1px dotted #fff;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-side .header__subnav__item,.mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-side .header__subnav__group-title{padding:14px 10px;}/*!sc*/ .drUhS path{fill:#000000;}/*!sc*/ He said it was a little sore the other day. template{display:none;}/*!sc*/ abbr[title]{border-bottom:none;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;-webkit-text-decoration:underline dotted;text-decoration:underline dotted;}/*!sc*/ It's the perfect complement to his fastball and splitter, because the action on those three pitches takes them in three directions. But by the time they get to the plate, the movement on the splitter has separated it significantly from the fastball. Shohei Ohtani (16). Shohei Ohtani gives his all during every play, and this home run against the . One of the things that makes baseballs core pitcher-batter duel so great is that its a constantly evolving chess match of adjustments and counteradjustments. Ohtani's splitter is generating the highest swing-and-miss rate of any individual pitch in MLB.\n\n**Highest whiff rate with a single pitch type, 2021**\n_Minimum 20 swings vs. that pitch type_\n1) Shohei Ohtani's splitter: 74%\n2) Josh Staumont's curveball: 73%\n3) (tie) Corbin Burnes' slider: 67%\n3) (tie) Corbin Burnes' changeup: 67%\n3) (tie) Corey Kluber's changeup: 67%","type":"markdown"},{"__typename":"PhotoPart","caption":null,"contextualCaption":null,"contextualAspectRatio":"1:1","credit":null,"format":"jpg","templateUrl":"https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/private/{formatInstructions}/v1619554426/mlb/zphkde8jo3k6mm6ez4gb","type":"photo"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"Ohtani has ramped up his splitter velocity this season, and that's made it filthier than ever. 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. .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*/ .hspSPq svg path{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner .p-icon *{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ .hspSPq:hover svg path{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ 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. Its plausible that Ohtani favors four-seam fastball to get strikes and set up the splitter when ahead in the count, because it tunnels well and gets whiffs. He hit 101 three times in his rookie season, which is still the most of any starter since his debut, even with Ohtani not pitching for all of 2019. Shohei Ohtani can be one of MLB's nastiest pitchers Ohtani connected on a 1-2 splitter from Montas for a two-run homer in the fifth inning to give the Angels the lead. But Ohtani's split has been the best strikeout pitch of them all. He has a great feel for what hes doing out there. As a pitcher who is known to throw well over 100 miles per hour, Ohtani's fastball is a major money-maker for him. Ohtanis best start of the season came on May 11th against the Houston Astros, in which he went seven innings of one run baseball, while striking out 10. 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. .hHLkAw input::-webkit-search-decoration,.hHLkAw input::-webkit-search-cancel-button,.hHLkAw input::-webkit-search-results-button,.hHLkAw input::-webkit-search-results-decoration{display:none;}/*!sc*/ You read that right. Only one batter has even put Ohtani's splitter in play, let alone gotten a hit (Leury Garca grounded out against it). .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top{background-color:#041E42;}/*!sc*/ I think its consistent with the whole attitude we had all year, where Im not gonna kind of baby him, Im just going to let him go out there and play baseball, Maddon said before the game. Shohei Ohtani and Kevin Gausman was a battle of pitchers with the best two split-fingered fastballs in baseball. 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. On the first point, Rendon has now only appeared in nine games this year. .hedPca{color:#666666;font-size:0.833rem;font-weight:500;margin-bottom:24px;padding-top:8px;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g11[id="buttonstyle__StyledButton-sc-vlv7w5-1"]{content:"hspSPq,"}/*!sc*/ By Neil Paine Filed under MLB. .mHQYb .p-search-item__container{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:50px;border-top:0;min-width:250px;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}/*!sc*/ Shohei Ohtani, 100mph Fastball, 86mph Slider and 92mph Splitter, Overlay. Ohtani's splitter gets almost 34 inches of vertical drop compared to only 14 inches of vertical drop on his four-seamer, so it . BestsellerThe Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. The most unhittable pitch in baseball is back -- and maybe even more unhittable than it was before. .ihHuHi{font-size:19px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:8px;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button-menu{-webkit-flex:0 0 auto;-ms-flex:0 0 auto;flex:0 0 auto;}/*!sc*/ But the Angels cant say Ohtani exceeded expectations, because they didnt have an innings range in mind for him this season. data-styled.g101[id="styles__SearchWidgetButton-sc-1vorjk3-1"]{content:"cwEpxl,"}/*!sc*/ Just relax a little bit.","type":"markdown"},{"__typename":"Video","contentDate":"2023-03-01T00:42:25.24Z","description":"Shea Langeliers joins MLB Tonight to discuss his opportunity to make an impact for the A's and getting to know the pitching staff","displayAsVideoGif":false,"duration":"00:01:16","mp4AvcPlayback":"https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-02/28/b52d1421-a278dfc8-814c1d55-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4","slug":"langeliers-on-preparing-for-2023","tags":[{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"teamid-133","title":"Oakland Athletics"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"playerid-669127","title":"Shea Langeliers"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"mlbn-mlb-tonight","title":"MLB Tonight"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"mlb-network","title":"MLB Network"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"spring-training","title":"Spring Training"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"cactus-league","title":"Cactus League"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"interview","title":"interview"}],"templateUrl":"https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/ss2nqxb8amgkopqymknr","title":"Langeliers on preparing for 2023","type":"video","url":"/video/langeliers-on-preparing-for-2023"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"Its understandable if Fujinami might have wanted to put on a show. .eJdqRG a:hover{color:#0048AB;}/*!sc*/ Feel free to round that up to 100 if you want. The cutter was a fun experiment, but its not netting the results necessary to keep throwing it a significant percentage of the time. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .mlb-header__login-menu{border-color:#057AFF;}/*!sc*/ But where his four-seamer drops 14.6 inches, his splitter drops 31.7 inches. Thats the highest whiff rate for any pitcher since 2006, when PITCHf/x began tracking pitch data. button::-moz-focus-inner,[type="button"]::-moz-focus-inner,[type="reset"]::-moz-focus-inner,[type="submit"]::-moz-focus-inner{border-style:none;padding:0;}/*!sc*/ His FIP, xFIP and xERA are all between 3.57 and 3.68. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item:last-child{border:none;}/*!sc*/ Ohtani had thrown only four-seamers since he joined the Majors; now he throws 100 mph and has two different fastballs. Ohtani's four-seamer has only 3.3 inches of horizontal movement, and his splitter has only 5.4 inches of horizontal movement. 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. Ohtani's four-seamer and splitter approach the hitter along the same path: His fastball averages 4.6 inches of horizontal movement, and his splitter averages 4.2 inches of horizontal movement. In the middle of an MVP race, Ohtani started throwing a new pitch. Millions of unique designs by independent artists. @media (min-width:1024px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header[data-is-club],.mHQYb header.mlb-header[data-is-microsite]{background-image:linear-gradient(#002867 50%,#081c3b 50%);}.mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-top__nav-items{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;}}/*!sc*/ Ohtani hasn't just held opponents hitless with his splitter, he's finished off all but one of the at-bats with a strikeout. This development should actually sound familiar because Ohtani also added a new pitch last season on his way to the AL MVP Award. .blLcNM{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(12,1fr);grid-gap:24px;font-size:1rem;}/*!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. 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. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .icon{display:inline-block;-webkit-align-self:center;-ms-flex-item-align:center;align-self:center;line-height:20px;}/*!sc*/ He makes adjustments constantly, but the biggest difference from when I first saw him last year to now is overall command of all of his pitches.. @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*/ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. I feel good physically, so I wanted to try more splitters.. From the opposing side, Fujinami left a strong first impression.\n\nHe throws hard, that's for sure, said Angels manager Phil Nevin. .mHQYb .p-search__list--multiple-type .p-search-item--team:first-of-type:before,.mHQYb .p-search__list--multiple-type .p-search-item--team + .p-search-item--player:before{color:#737373;font-size:12px;position:absolute;left:10px;top:10px;padding-top:12px;}/*!sc*/ .iQELft{box-sizing:border-box;padding:0px;}/*!sc*/ Since Ohtani's MLB debut 1) Shohei Ohtani's splitter, 2018 -- 56.4% 2) Blake Snell's curveball, 2019 -- 54.9% 3) Patrick Corbin's slider, 2018 -- 53.6% 4) Blake Snell's curveball, 2018 -- 53.4% 5) Kyle Gibson's slider, 2019 -- 52.6% Minimum 75 swings against that pitch type Thats it.. sup{top:-0.5em;}/*!sc*/ Its been no more complicated than that, really.. .groqnz.markdown,.groqnz.photo figcaption,.groqnz.oembed .social-embed{padding:0 16px;}/*!sc*/ Colby Olson | Maddon believes the benefits of pitching Sunday and making one or possibly two more starts this season could be felt in 2022. Based on what Fujinami showed Tuesday, the As are optimistic about what a more refined version of the right-hander might look like as he continues to develop and adjust throughout Spring Training. The one way two-way star Shohei Ohtani is clearly the - Washington Post MESA, Ariz. -- Shintaro Fujinami expected to battle nerves in his highly anticipated As debut, which was only amplified once it was announced that the pitching matchup would come against Japanese countryman Shohei Ohtani. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__item:hover{background-color:#057AFF;color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ In 20 plate appearances ending on Ohtani's splitter this season, hitters are 0-for-19 with 18 strikeouts. code,kbd,samp{font-family:monospace,monospace;font-size:1em;}/*!sc*/ His stuffs good enough. He declared himself fit after completing a 32-pitch bullpen session on Friday, and the Angels had no reservations starting him on Sunday, even though Ohtani has a history of elbow injuries and the team is well out of playoff contention. Pedro on Ohtani's Splitter - MLB Tonight | Shohei Ohtani's splitter has been extremely effective through two starts, but Pedro Martinez has some long-term concerns. That includes an especially ridiculous 92.6 mph splitter to strike out Robert on April 4. .blUWSx .share-list{position:absolute;list-style:none;margin:0;margin-left:2px;padding:0;margin-top:3px;margin-right:10px;}/*!sc*/ On the mound, Ohtani has made 13 starts, posting a 3.49 ERA, while striking out 30.4% of batters for a total of 1.5 WAR. With a lengthy effort in his next start, or with two more starts, he could surpass 130 innings. After a visit from As pitching coach Scott Emerson, though, Fujinami settled in, notching a strikeout on a well-placed 97 mph fastball that froze Aaron Whitefield and inducing an inning-ending double play against Livan Soto. .hspSPq{height:32px;padding-left:10px;padding-right:10px;font-size:13px;-webkit-transition:0.2s;transition:0.2s;border-radius:5px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#057AFF;border:none;color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/