156km/h from the start, 0 hits, 4K power throw against 7 batters.
Yusei Kikuchi (29), a Japanese left-handed starting pitcher for the Seattle Mariners, made a good start 토토꽁머니
Japanese media Nikkan Sports reported on the 26th (Korean time) that he recorded 0 hits, 1 walk, and 4 strikeouts against 7 batters in Kikuchi’s first practice pitching at spring camp.
He faced seven right-handed hitters, including right fielder Mitch Hanniger and rookie king Kyle Lewis last year, and Kikuchi struck out four with one walk without getting a single hit. The total number of pitches was 37.
In particular, it is known to be excellent, such as spraying a 96-mile fastball against Lewis to break Lewis’ bat and striking out with a well-drawn cutter outside the strike zone.
Kikuchi also expressed satisfaction with the better results than expected. “I think it was a very good practice for the first day,” Kikuchi said. There was no problem throwing, and I could throw the ball as I wanted. “I think it’s going well,” he said.
“Kikuchi, who entered the Major League with a large contract of up to $19 million for seven years (3 years and 43 million dollars) with Seattle in 2019, has not met expectations over the past two years.”
He pitched in 41 games over two years, recording 8 wins and 15 losses, 163 strikeouts in 208.2 innings, and a 5.39 ERA, while not showing any of his pitches in Japan.
However, as a left-handed pitcher, he still has a fast speed (average speed of 153 km/h, maximum speed of 157 km/h) and a wide range of pitches, including sliders, cutters, and splitters, so the team’s expectations are still high expectations.
Special coach Hisashi Iwakuma, who watched Kikuchi’s pitch, also said, “The fastball was powerful and the splitter was good. “I came out exactly as I did in the bullpen.”
