.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__item:hover{background-color:#057AFF;color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ .blUWSx .share-button__close{top:6px;left:5px;}/*!sc*/ Shohei Ohtani: the two-way Japanese marvel with once-in-a-century .hHLkAw input:-ms-input-placeholder{color:#aaaaaa;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__logo a{-webkit-flex:1 0 auto;-ms-flex:1 0 auto;flex:1 0 auto;}/*!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. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__subnav--transparent{background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0.7);width:calc(100vw - 145px);}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g21[id="imagestyle__Img-sc-xw1tzz-1"]{content:"ebrWqN,iQELft,"}/*!sc*/ They've whiffed on 17 of those swings. .mHQYb .mlb-header__login-menu--open{display:block;left:auto;opacity:1;}/*!sc*/ .hspSPq:hover svg path{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ As unreal as the hype was around Ohtani before he ever played an MLB game, somehow the beginning of his career has exceeded it. 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. abbr[title]{border-bottom:none;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;-webkit-text-decoration:underline dotted;text-decoration:underline dotted;}/*!sc*/ It comes straight at the hitter, with barely any horizontal movement. Shohei Ohtani's Resume. data-styled.g114[id="sc-bdfBwQ"]{content:"mHQYb,"}/*!sc*/ On the mound, he has struck out 87 and walked 35 in . Is she making a sport out of it? .hedPca{color:#666666;font-size:0.833rem;font-weight:500;margin-bottom:24px;padding-top:8px;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__sponsor-logo img,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__sponsor-logo a{height:56px;}/*!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. It covers an area of 225.45 square kilometres (87.05 sq mi) of which 5.95 km 2 (2.30 sq mi) is water. Just a little more than a week into his major league career, Los Angeles Angels phenom Shohei Ohtani has been so impressive as both a pitcher and hitter that its difficult to decide which aspect of his play stands out most. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item{display:none;-webkit-flex:1 1 100%;-ms-flex:1 1 100%;flex:1 1 100%;position:relative;text-align:center;}/*!sc*/ Ohtani's four-seamer has only 3.3 inches of horizontal movement, and his splitter has only 5.4 inches of horizontal movement. @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__content{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__group:not(:first-child){margin-left:16px;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__group.cols{-webkit-column-count:2;column-count:2;-webkit-column-gap:8px;column-gap:8px;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__item,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__group-title{width:100%;}}/*!sc*/ .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*/ .cwEpxl:hover{background-color:transparent;}/*!sc*/ .eJdqRG a:hover{color:#0048AB;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g144[id="Styles__StickyHeaderContainer-sc-1wye7kw-0"]{content:"ggWmAj,"}/*!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. #react-header{width:100%;}/*!sc*/ When ahead in the count against RHH, he throws 23% sliders and 29% splitters. A lot of his best. .drUhS path{fill:#000000;}/*!sc*/ Shohei Ohtani unbuckles his pants in the middle of a baseball game .ihHuHi{font-size:19px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:8px;}/*!sc*/ Ohtani has probably already done enough on both sides of the ball to confirm that hes the real deal. Shohei Ohtani knew coming . As a pitcher who is known to throw well over 100 miles per hour, Ohtani's fastball is a major money-maker for him. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-items{background-color:#041E42;}/*!sc*/ Its a predictable approach that gets results, but what if Ohtani ditched the cutter, and in exchange, threw more splitters, especially to right handed hitters (RHH). Ohtani's new sinker is dropping 3.5 inches more than comparable Major League sinkers (sinkers thrown at a similar velocity and release point), and it's breaking 1.3 inches more than comparable sinkers. His splitter also comes straight at the hitter -- but then the bottom drops out. Ohtani's sinker has the same upper-90s velocity as his four-seamer, but with a very different movement profile. Making his first Cactus League start in Oaklands 11-5 loss to the Angels at Hohokam Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, Fujinami turned in a performance that matched the excitement generated upon his signing this offseason. .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*/ window.globalState = {"tracking_title":"Major League Baseball","lang":"en"} article ul{list-style:disc;}/*!sc*/ The right-hander induced 17 swinging strikes and two called strikes with the pitch, which averaged 89.2 mph, and he struck out the side Seth Brown, Yan Gomes and Elvis Andrus with splitters in the seventh. I have been around the game since I was 4 years old and have, The Top 10 Pitches of the 2022 MLB Season. First, here's how Ohtani's sinker compares to his normal four-seamer. There are very clear cutter starts and non-cutter starts. .hUHmCp > article > aside{display:none;}/*!sc*/ This is from Premier 12. @media (min-width:1024px){.blLcNM .content{grid-column:1 / span 8;}.blLcNM .content .share-btn{-webkit-align-self:flex-end;-ms-flex-item-align:end;align-self:flex-end;margin-bottom:16px;top:0;}}/*!sc*/ Shohei Ohtani (16). Perhaps the most fascinating story in baseball is Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Angels' two-way phenomenon who is making his mark as both a hitter and a pitcher. Fujinami came away from the outing with things to work on for the next time out. \n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550},"type":"oembed"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"In total, hitters have swung 23 times at Ohtani's splitter so far. .blUWSx .share-icon__close{width:18px;}/*!sc*/ 3-2, 10-inning loss to the Oakland Athletics, Ohtani was definitely feeling the splitter, Reports: 3 children dead, 2 wounded in attack at Texas home, Kellyanne Conway, George Conway To Divorce After Decadeslong Marriage: Report, School punished teen girl for working out in sports bra in 100-degree Texas heat, ACLU says, U.S. court won't require FAA to make airplane seat size, spacing rules, 'Extremely dangerous': Spike in illegal crossings at Canada-Vermont border has feds sounding alarm, SoCal in for cool start to weekend, but light rain makes brief return, "Botox In A Bottle" Sold Out At Target In 2 Days, AccuWeather: Clouds and wind into Saturday AM, Central Texas weather: Cold front brings cooler temperatures, wind. Do you remember how absurd the numbers are for Ohtani's splitter? @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__logo img{min-height:40px;max-height:40px;}}/*!sc*/ He lost control in the second inning, but good pitchers get those outs when they need.\n\nFujinami came away from the outing with things to work on for the next time out. Second, consider Ohtani's two wipeout out pitches: his splitter and his slider. ","type":"markdown"},{"__typename":"ExternalEmbed","data":{"__typename":"ExternalEmbedContent","html":", Shohei Ohtani, 97mph Fastball (foul) and 91mph Splitter (Swinging K), Overlay. Ohtani relies on 7 pitches. @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header{font-size:14px;}}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search__list{z-index:50;min-width:250px;border-radius:6px;-webkit-mask-image:-webkit-radial-gradient(#ffffff,#000000);}/*!sc*/ Feel free to round that up to 100 if you want. Ohtani is ready to pitch. @media (min-width:768px){.epHHrr.youtube iframe{width:500px;}}/*!sc*/ .hspSPq svg path{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ If Fujinami was nervous once first pitch came around, he certainly did a good job of hiding it. @media screen and (min-width:1024px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner:hover a,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner:hover span{color:#ffffff;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner:hover .p-icon *{fill:#ffffff;}}/*!sc*/ The knock on Fujinami from his time in Japan was that his command can sometimes get out of whack. .hHLkAw input:focus{outline:none;}/*!sc*/ I know that Fuji wants to be a special player. html{line-height:1.15;-webkit-text-size-adjust:100%;}/*!sc*/ "I don't have a sinker," Ohtani said demurely, amid laughter in his shy yet proficient English. data-styled.g22[id="imagestyle__Placeholder-sc-xw1tzz-3"]{content:"jehbss,"}/*!sc*/ 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. @media (min-width:1024px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top{padding:0 32px;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container{width:auto;min-width:50vw;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:56px;overflow:hidden;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container--initialized{overflow:visible;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container__primary,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container__revenue{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;width:auto;height:56px;-webkit-box-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-pack:start;justify-content:flex-start;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex:0 1 auto;-ms-flex:0 1 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.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*/ 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. .hspSPq:hover{cursor:pointer;background-color:#0462CC;}/*!sc*/ Shohei Ohtani's Splitter Is What Makes Him Truly Great Special accommodations even had to be made at Hohokam for the larger-than-usual media contingent, which included 40 members of Japanese media. In his 12 home starts this season, Ohtani has pitched to a miniscule 2.02 ERA, striking out 83 batters in 71.1 innings while allowing just a .194 opposing batting average. What exactly is in Shohei Ohtani's arsenal? - Lookout Landing 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). Grip firmly. 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.. You read that right. .hUHmCp > article .ad-top-right-container::before,.hUHmCp > article .ad-bottom-right-container::before{font-family:"proxima-nova";content:"ADVERTISEMENT";display:block;position:absolute;top:-17px;text-align:center;width:100%;color:#888888;font-size:0.694rem;line-height:13px;}/*!sc*/ .fAmXvR{background:#f3f3f3;border-radius:6px;color:#444444;font-family:"proxima-nova","open Sans","Helvetica","Arial",sans-serif;font-weight:500;padding:16px 16px 24px;}/*!sc*/ ::-webkit-file-upload-button{-webkit-appearance:button;font:inherit;}/*!sc*/ Ohtani's splitter is generating the highest swing-and-miss rate of any individual pitch in MLB. Shohei Ohtani Finally Let Loose | Defector 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. details{display:block;}/*!sc*/ Ohtani would be wise to take a lesson from his fellow Californian pitcher. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item .icon__subnav-arrow{-webkit-transform:rotate(-90deg);-ms-transform:rotate(-90deg);transform:rotate(-90deg);margin-right:0;width:11px;height:11px;float:none;}/*!sc*/ @media (min-width:1024px){.hUHmCp > article{margin:auto;max-width:967px;}.hUHmCp > article > section{grid-column:1 / span 8;}.hUHmCp > article > aside{display:block;grid-column:9 / 13;}}/*!sc*/ Ohtani has posted an ERA of under three this year, so perhaps it bears paying attention. 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__input--icon.close-icon:hover{cursor:pointer;}/*!sc*/ What is Shohei Ohtani worth on the market? - Deadspin That was part of the original plan, Maddon said. Shohei Ohtani vs. Aaron Judge: Who Deserves the AL MVP? data-styled.g120[id="headlinestyle__HeadlineWrapper-sc-1ccyctx-0"]{content:"jDETbc,"}/*!sc*/ .fvEQJr{bottom:0;left:0;position:absolute;right:0;top:0;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__logo--mlb a{text-align:center;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search-item__image-selector{width:3px;height:100%;}/*!sc*/ .dMKvOx{line-height:1.2;}/*!sc*/ Shohei Ohtani showcases his splitter prowess, throwing it 55 times vs .kKeedG{color:#057AFF;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;border-bottom:none;font-family:"proxima-nova","open Sans","Helvetica","Arial",sans-serif;}/*!sc*/ + View Shohei Ohtani's Pitches in 3d + Similar Pitchers to Shohei Ohtani Based on Velocity and Movement: 2021 - Dinelson Lamet 2021 - Luis Gil His splitter _also_ comes straight at the hitter -- but then the bottom drops out. [1] The population density is 180.98 inhabitants per square kilometre (468.7/sq mi). .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*/ .mHQYb .p-search__input--sm{font-size:12px;height:30px;min-width:150px;}/*!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. ","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. .ggWmAj .sticky-header__share{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row-reverse;-ms-flex-direction:row-reverse;flex-direction:row-reverse;grid-column:9 / 13;}/*!sc*/ @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-bold.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-bold.woff') format('woff');font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g148[id="Styles__FigureContainer-iefwtj-0"]{content:"fFwXhn,"}/*!sc*/ 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. .blUWSx .share-list{position:absolute;list-style:none;margin:0;margin-left:2px;padding:0;margin-top:3px;margin-right:10px;}/*!sc*/ In three starts from May 5th to May 19th, Ohtani didnt throw a single cutter. His slider breaks hard horizontally to the glove side. .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*/ 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. Fifteen of those 18 strikeout victims went down swinging. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--parent[aria-expanded='true'] .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner .p-icon *{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container__primary.resizing{overflow-y:hidden;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g122[id="Styles__HeadlineContainer-sc-19rm04l-0"]{content:"dMKvOx,"}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu--icon span:nth-child(4){top:16px;}/*!sc*/ .hUHmCp{margin-top:24px;background-color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search-item__container--sm{font-size:12px;height:30px;min-width:150px;}/*!sc*/ Angels' Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon rejoin lineup as Shohei Ohtani two .mHQYb .p-search__form{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;}/*!sc*/ That includes an especially ridiculous 92.6 mph splitter to strike out Robert on April 4. .blLcNM{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(12,1fr);grid-gap:24px;font-size:1rem;}/*!sc*/ .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*/ His sinker fades down and to the arm side, breaking over a foot more than his four-seam fastball while dropping seven additional inches. Advanced metrics agree as well. According to Baseball-Reference.com, his batting average on balls in play a sign of how lucky a hitter has been is .364, well above whats considered sustainable. 4-seamer: 97.2 mph / 2,220 rpm / 14.6" of drop / 3.3" of breakSinker: 97.6 mph / 1,994 rpm / 21.6" of drop / 16.0" of break. I thought this game showed Japanese fans some good entertainment.. button:-moz-focusring,[type="button"]:-moz-focusring,[type="reset"]:-moz-focusring,[type="submit"]:-moz-focusring{outline:1px dotted ButtonText;}/*!sc*/ Its just a spring game. I love this shot, you can see Ohtani's grip on his devastating split finger pitch. The first grip that Ohtani is prompted to show is his fastball grip. Batters are hitting .080 with a .107 SLG, and 54.7% whiff rate against Ohtanis splitter this season. In total, hitters have swung 23 times at Ohtani's splitter so far. Shohei Ohtani did in 2022 what no other player in baseball history had done. data-styled.g157[id="newsletterOptinstyle__Title-sc-d7sh2p-2"]{content:"ihHuHi,"}/*!sc*/ Its easy to sell Ohtani as an above average MLB pitcher, but he is not without flaws. There was never a specific number in mind other than go pitch, go play, well watch, talk about it, and if you need a break, well give you a break, and if not, keep playing. @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-semibold-italic.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-semibold-italic.woff') format('woff');font-weight:600;font-style:italic;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ Toward the end of the video, Ohtani is asked to present his sinker grip. (The splitter, which is thrown with the index and middle fingers spread wide over the seams, isnt a true fastball in the same sense as the four-seamer; its more like a change-up that looks like a fastball to hitters before abruptly dropping at the last second.) Ohtani's sinker has the same upper-90s velocity as his four-seamer, but with a very different movement profile. Granted, those numbers have come in the microscopic sample of 13 innings (over two starts against the Oakland As, one of the worst teams in baseball). .dLQAwR .contributor__text--twitter{font-size:0.8rem;font-weight:600;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g100[id="styles__SearchWidgetContainer-sc-1vorjk3-0"]{content:"fYCiRB,"}/*!sc*/ But where his four-seamer drops 14.6 inches, his splitter drops 31.7 inches. Despite his splitter looking practically unhittable on the first two strikeouts, he said he would like to be able to throw it as a means of getting ahead in the count as well.\n\nBased 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.\n\nShohei was on the other side -- who is one of the best players in the world, Emerson said.