The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 372

372. Solid Pitcher (1)

“How’s his pitching?”

Tyler Beede was feeling a bit disoriented.

The gap between watching from afar and the actual result was too significant. A leadoff hit followed immediately by a home run. But he clearly remembered that Shohei Ohtani’s pitches today were incredibly powerful.

“I got lucky.”

“Lucky? You?”

“Yeah, I just had a feeling it would be a splitter, so I timed my swing for that, and it came right in.”

“You weren’t looking for any tells or anything?”

“Would Ohtani have something like that? It was just a hunch. Anyway, even though I was aiming for that, the hit was a bit weak. He seems to be in really good condition today.”

Tyler Beede barely suppressed the urge to retort, asking what he was then, hitting a home run against Ohtani in such good condition. But he knew the answer would be something predictable like, ‘A genius?’ or ‘Because I’m special.’

“His fastball has more extension than usual, and his slider is faster. Overall, he seems to be catching the ball really well today.”

“Okay. So, you’re saying his changeup isn’t as good?”

It’s impossible for a pitcher to have all his pitches working perfectly all the time.

On days when the ball feels great in the hand and the spin rate is high, pitches that shouldn’t have much spin, like splitters or changeups, tend to be less effective.

“No. Both his splitter and changeup have as much movement as usual. It looks even better because his fastball has more extension.”

“······.”

Of course, this is just a general rule, and there are often guys who break those rules. Like that monster who just barely hit the ball and still managed to get it over the fence.

After a seemingly unhelpful conversation, Tyler Beede stepped up to the plate.

Well, he was getting less attention because of the crazy monster before him, but Tyler Beede was also a great hitter who had taken his already All-Star-level performance to another level this year. He was probably an MVP contender…

‘Ha, the difference is so big that I can’t even use the word contender.’

Yes, the level difference was significant, but based on his average year, he had a record that he wouldn’t be ashamed to call MVP contender. Considering his age, he could easily get a 10-year, $300 million contract in free agency in three years.

Shohei Ohtani on the mound threw the ball.

First pitch. A 100.3 mph high fastball. Tyler Beede’s bat followed the ball.

And following Choi Soo-won’s advice that the fastball had more extension than usual, he swung his bat, imagining the ball’s trajectory half a step higher than he would normally.

-Clang!!!

He wasn’t as good as Choi Soo-won, but Tyler Beede’s talent was definitely genuine. To hear about the trajectory of the ball and instantly adjust it in his head, imagining a higher point of contact, was something not just anyone could do.

But it was too successful.

[First pitch!! Hit!! Tyler Beede!! A weakly hit ground ball rolling between second and third base!! Shortstop Gutierrez fields the ball and throws to first!! At first!!]

“Out!!!”

[It’s an out!! The ball had a lot of power, but Dodgers’ shortstop Gutierrez made a great play. Shohei Ohtani breathes a sigh of relief.]

[But it’s still too early to relax. Next up is the Yankees’ cleanup hitter, Aaron Judge. Sometimes people say there’s no break in the lineup as a figure of speech, but looking at the Yankees’ lineup, that saying really fits. There’s no break in their lineup.]

Shohei Ohtani tempted Aaron Judge with a low fastball on the outside corner.

-Whoosh!!

“Strike!!!”

A huge swing befitting his huge frame.

It was a powerful swing that could easily send the ball over the fence even with a slight mis-hit, enough to intimidate most pitchers.

And a similar course.

-Whoosh!!

Aaron Judge held back from swinging at the slider breaking away to the outside. He looked up and slightly raised the corner of his mouth. It was a scary face, as if saying, ‘Do you think I’d fall for that?’

Third.

A high fastball inside to Aaron Judge, who had moved closer to the plate after the two outside pitches.

Aaron Judge swung at the ball as if it were flying towards his face.

It was a dangerous pitch. A front-door slider [a pitch that appears to be heading for the batter but curves into the strike zone] that could have been a hit-by-pitch if he mistimed it. Even worse, if the batter had predicted it, it would have become a hittable hanging slider right over the plate. Pitcher Shohei Ohtani threw the ball with the heart of a fielder, and Aaron Judge swung with the heart of a fielder, trusting that the ball wouldn’t hit his head.

-Whoosh!!!

“Strike!!!”

The result was a swing and a miss.

The pitch was a little high.

The count was 1-2.

Shohei Ohtani’s face, despite being in a favorable count, didn’t lose its tension.

Aaron Judge’s face, despite being in an unfavorable count, was overflowing with confidence.

Fourth.

A slightly hanging pitch [a pitch that doesn’t break or move as intended, making it easier to hit].

Aaron Judge didn’t miss the opportunity and swung.

-Whoosh!!!!

“Strike!! Out!!”

[Aaron Judge!! Strikeout!! Shohei Ohtani’s amazing splitter strikes out Aaron Judge!!]

[Top of the 1st. The score is 1:0. It felt a bit precarious in many ways, but Shohei Ohtani ultimately held the Yankees’ lineup to just 1 run.]

Shohei Ohtani, coming off the mound, puffed out his cheeks and exhaled.

Aaron Judge, coming off the plate, had a slight look of disappointment and annoyance on his face.

Change of sides.

Dylan Lee, the Yankees’ starting pitcher for today, came up to the mound.

***

When you order a steak, you usually get various garnishes like grilled vegetables. The steak is the main dish, but the garnishes are also quite tasty. It’s the same when you go to a Japanese restaurant. The main dish is always sushi or sashimi, but the steamed dishes, soups, and tempura are also good. In fact, some people even prefer those.

Dylan Lee had survived in the major leagues with that mindset.

He couldn’t be the main character vying for the Cy Young Award [an award given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball] in the entire league. Even if he went to a small-market team, he wasn’t good enough to be called an ace.

At best, he’d be a third starter on such a small-market team? In a world where innings-eating starters [pitchers who can consistently pitch for many innings in a game] were rare, he could land a 3+1 year, $70 million contract just for being a reliable pitcher who could get the job done, but that was it. In fact, the third starter position on the Yankees, a team aiming for an overwhelming league championship, was a bit much for him.

‘If we’re talking about steak, it was more like an asparagus position.’

Even if it were broccoli or carrots, the Yankees were too high-class this year for him to occupy the asparagus position. It was like using a 5cm asparagus with the highest grade Chateaubriand [a very high-quality cut of beef].

It was the same now.

Game 3 of the World Series.

The opposing pitcher was ‘Shohei Ohtani.’

The team was aiming for a postseason undefeated championship, something no one in history had ever achieved.

Perhaps the position that suited Dylan Lee himself was a 1-inning relief appearance following ace Domingo Rodriguez, who was coming to the mound after 3 days of rest. Or maybe just watching his historic victory from the dugout?

No, maybe Choi Soo-won, who had been forcing the team to win until now, was more suited for this position. Maybe that overwhelming genius. Compared to himself, a 5cm asparagus, Choi Soo-won was the Chateaubriand of Chateaubriands. He was definitely a special product that probably wouldn’t be seen again in 100 years. With that guy’s genius, it wouldn’t be strange if he awakened as a pitcher once again in this position.

Jose Trevino threw him the ball.

His stomach was starting to hurt a little.

But there was no change in his expression. Dylan was that kind of guy. Like a carrot that doesn’t lose its hardness in moderate heat, he didn’t lose himself in most situations. He was literally a solid pitcher.

Rocky Chavez stepped up to the plate.

A difficult hitter.

He threw the ball as he always did.

Aiming for the outside low corner of the zone as much as possible.

Some pitches went where he wanted them to, and some went a little off. He mixed four-seamers and two-seamers appropriately, but it didn’t seem to fool the opponent. That’s because Rocky Chavez is a good hitter.

-Clang!!!

On the 5th pitch.

He didn’t miss the one he was trying to throw away that went a little too deep. But as if it were his lucky day, the hit went straight to the right fielder.

“Out!!!”

He got lucky.

A clean out.

Next up, the second batter.

Mookie Betts.

A very difficult hitter.

But it was okay. Either a difficult hitter or a very difficult hitter, it’s all the same.

He threw the ball as he always did.

-Clang!!!!

This time, the ball went exactly where he wanted it to, and he hit it.

He certainly had the skills of a very difficult hitter. This time, he didn’t have the same luck as before. The batter safely reached first base.

His stomach was starting to hurt a lot.

But there was still no change in Dylan Lee’s expression.

And then Ohtani stepped up to the plate.

‘Ah, this is too racist.’

Dylan Lee quickly corrected his thoughts. Not Ohtani, but another Chateaubriand. He’s not only difficult, but he’s also a protagonist of the era who can do more than his skills at moments when he needs to get something done.

But it was okay. Either a difficult hitter, a very difficult hitter, or a protagonist of the era, Dylan could do the same thing.

Dylan Lee threw the ball as he always did.

Relentlessly low. And towards the outside borderline.

Some pitches missed, and some went in.

-Clang!!!!

And at some point, Shohei Ohtani hit the ball.

[Hit!! Shohei Ohtani!! Ah, but a weakly hit ball!! Second baseman Dennis catches it and throws to second!!]

“Out!!”

[Anthony Volpe, easily to first!!]

“Out!!”

[A clean 4-6-3 double play!! Dylan Lee gets Ohtani Shohei to hit into a double play, stably blocking the Dodgers’ attack in the top of the 1st.]

[Dylan Lee. He’s not flashy, but he’s a very stable player.]

[Yes, that’s right. In fact, there’s nothing better than having a pitcher like that when running a team. He rarely overwhelms opponents with flashy performances, but he provides solid support without collapsing, so you know exactly what you’re getting. He’s a pitcher who fits the word solid better than anyone else.]

[Now, the game is in the top of the 2nd. Back to the Yankees’ attack. The leadoff hitter is Mike Trout. Dennis Martinez is waiting in the on-deck circle. Wow… This is something. They seemed to have barely held on in the top of the 1st, but Mike Trout, Dennis Martinez, and then Austin Battle right after. The Yankees are too strong, aren’t they?]

Perhaps it was because of the hotter temperature in LA compared to New York? Shohei Ohtani felt that the Dodgers’ cohesiveness was gradually loosening. But that couldn’t happen.

In stories, the Demon King is the strongest. He is always more powerful than the hero. Yes, that is the virtue of the final boss.

But the hero in the story always defeats the Demon King. He always has reliable companions by his side.

The final conflict, or despair, that often appears in stories. It was always the hero’s role to bring together the scattered companions.

Shohei Ohtani stood on the mound.

The Dodger Stadium in November was still hot.