shohei ohtani splitter grip shohei ohtani splitter grip

Shohei Ohtani and Kevin Gausman was a battle of pitchers with the best two split-fingered fastballs in baseball. The right-hander threw a cutter on 21.3% of pitches in his last start, which was his third highest cutter usage of the year. 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. Each allowed only one run in a tremendous pitching duel between the Angels and Giants. It was one thing to hear about Ohtani's 100 mph fastball and watch the Nippon Professional Baseball highlights on YouTube in the winter of 2017-18. code,kbd,samp{font-family:monospace,monospace;font-size:1em;}/*!sc*/ Theres chatter about him participating in the Home Run Derby, and he also possesses one of the best pitches in the history of baseball, somehow. Ditching the cutter and utilizing the splitter more may just be the change that could take Ohtani to the next level as a pitcher. .fFwXhn{margin:0;}/*!sc*/ Sure, why not. Today went really smooth. Ohtani's sinker has the same upper-90s velocity as his four-seamer, but with a very different movement profile. Defined as either a 3-0, 2-0 or 3-1 count. fieldset{padding:0.35em 0.75em 0.625em;}/*!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 .header__nav-side__nav-item:last-child{border:none;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__url-logo img{height:30px;}/*!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*/ Ohtani has probably already done enough on both sides of the ball to confirm that hes the real deal. 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. data-styled.g11[id="buttonstyle__StyledButton-sc-vlv7w5-1"]{content:"hspSPq,"}/*!sc*/ pic.twitter.com/QutPymX9VX, Shohei Ohtani, 101mph Fastball and 92mph Splitter, Overlay pic.twitter.com/E6wCdEakov. By Neil Paine Filed under MLB. Perhaps most tellingly of all, hes also currently first in swinging strike rate, a very important measure of sheer pitching dominance, and he ranks third in average fastball velocity. Advanced metrics agree as well. Shohei Ohtani shines in Angels loss to the Oakland Athletics on Sunday. Keep reading to learn all about pitching grips from one of the best in the entire MLB. With Marcus Morris sidelined, Clippers look to stabilize lineup and rotations, With their playoff lives at stake, Darvin Ham challenges Lakers effort and urgency, Lakers playoff hopes take another hit after comeback fades vs. Minnesota, Ducks strike with a pair of late power-play goals to defeat Canadiens, With Norman Powell out, Clippers are edged at Sacramento for fifth loss in a row. We may earn a commission from links on this page. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu--icon{background:none;padding:0px;width:24px;height:18px;position:relative;margin:0px auto;-webkit-transform:rotate(0deg);-ms-transform:rotate(0deg);transform:rotate(0deg);-webkit-transition:0.5s ease-in-out;transition:0.5s ease-in-out;cursor:pointer;}/*!sc*/ .kKeedG:hover{border-bottom:none;color:#0048AB;}/*!sc*/ .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*/ 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. He has a great feel for what hes doing out there. \n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550},"type":"oembed"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"On April 24, 2018, Ohtani blew a 100.6 mph fastball past Josh Reddick -- the fastest pitch to get a swing-and-miss by any starter all year.\n\nA few weeks before that, on April 8, when he took a perfect game into the seventh inning in his second MLB start, he fanned Marcus Semien with a 99.6 mph fastball for his personal-best strikeout velo in the big leagues. Now he's adding a sinker that also looks like it showcases standout stuff, and it should harmonize with the pitch mix he already had. data-styled.g158[id="newsletterOptinstyle__Message-sc-d7sh2p-3"]{content:"evwvnJ,"}/*!sc*/ In 2018, Ohtani used his slider 24.8% of the time, which yielded whiffs on 39.1% of swings and a .243 wOBA against, so its surprising that Ohtani decided to add a cutter into his repertoire and take directly away from his slider usage. I think he was experimenting with some different grips, and apparently it was working pretty well. You'll be nervous. Keep your index and middle fingers extended upward; wrist should remain stiff. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top > *{-webkit-order:0;-ms-flex-order:0;order:0;-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;}/*!sc*/ The reigning MVP getting even better just in time to make a push for back-to-back trophies? .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner::after{display:none;content:'';width:0;height:0;position:absolute;left:auto;right:-1px;top:33%;z-index:calc(99992 + 1);border-color:transparent #ffffff transparent transparent;border-style:solid;border-width:8px;}/*!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 #17 of the Los Angeles Angels pitches during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 in Anaheim, California.. Ohtani's All-Star hitter credentials are now backed up by a 176 OPS+and MLB-leadingmarks in home runs (32) and slugging percentage (.700). 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. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button:hover{cursor:pointer;}/*!sc*/ His splitter drops 32.1 inches -- nearly 20 inches more. He has a great feel for what hes doing out there. I want to keep on throwing I think every time I throw, I learn something and get better, Ohtani said. progress{vertical-align:baseline;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search__form svg{width:16px !important;height:16px !important;}/*!sc*/ I thought this game showed Japanese fans some good entertainment.","type":"markdown"},{"__typename":"PhotoPart","caption":null,"contextualCaption":null,"contextualAspectRatio":null,"credit":null,"format":"jpg","templateUrl":"https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/v1677631799/mlb/v4ook8ooawv5ux123nfj","type":"photo"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"Theres a strong chance Fujinami will face the Angels again in about a month -- the As open the regular season March 30 by hosting the Angels for a three-game series at the Coliseum. As a pitcher who is known to throw well over 100 miles per hour, Ohtani's fastball is a major money-maker for him. They whiffed on 53 of those swings -- a 56% swing-and-miss rate. .jbYgiH{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(12,minmax(0,1fr));grid-gap:24px;margin:0 auto;max-width:967px;}/*!sc*/ .kwDmpG{display:block;font-weight:500;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g163[id="Styles__OEmbedContainer-oapuup-0"]{content:"epHHrr,"}/*!sc*/ @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-semibold.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-semibold.woff') format('woff');font-weight:600;font-style:normal;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ article > section{font-size:1.2rem;font-family:Georgia,serif;}/*!sc*/ h2.Styles__HeadlineContainer-sc-19rm04l-0{font-size:1.2rem;margin-bottom:8px;color:#666666;}/*!sc*/ The SF Giants face Angels ace Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday in Anaheim OAKLAND, CA - MAY 27: Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) smiles at fans while walking to the dugout before the. .evwvnJ{line-height:1.5;margin:0 auto 16px;max-width:470px;padding-left:0;position:relative;width:-webkit-fit-content;width:-moz-fit-content;width:fit-content;}/*!sc*/ Based on data from ESPNs Stats & Information Group, he has thrown the splitter 58 times, and its already generated 13 strikeouts; only Houstons Lance McCullers (curveball) and Arizonas Patrick Corbin (slider) have gotten more Ks on a single pitch than Ohtani has gotten with his splitter so far. No one else has been so lucky. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__subnav--transparent{background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0.7);width:calc(100vw - 145px);}/*!sc*/ I know that Fuji wants to be a special player. That includes an especially ridiculous 92.6 mph splitter to strike out Robert on April 4. 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). Im going to be pitching next year and beyond, so I think this whole experience is gonna help me down the road. 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. He won Associated Press Sports Editors awards for game-story writing in 2001, feature-story writing in 2017 and breaking news in 2019. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top [class$='button-menu--icon'] span{background-color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ 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. The first hit he allowed was a single by Wilson Ramos off third baseman Zack Cozart's glove on May 20. data-styled.g144[id="Styles__StickyHeaderContainer-sc-1wye7kw-0"]{content:"ggWmAj,"}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner .p-icon *{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ He's got a good arm. That early? Maddon said after a 3-2, 10-inning loss to the Oakland Athletics in Angel Stadium. Sports News Without Fear, Favor or Compromise. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__main-nav,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__subnav{height:100%;overflow-x:hidden;overflow-y:auto;overscroll-behavior:contain;touch-action:manipulation;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch;}/*!sc*/ Next Tournament: Yakushi: Best batting lineup Seido: Best pitching lineup Grip firmly. The cutter was a fun experiment, but its not netting the results necessary to keep throwing it a significant percentage of the time. For the season, Ohtani is getting whiffs on 57% of swings on the splitter and 37% whiffs from the slider. @media (min-width:375px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav--teams__team--shortname{display:none;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav--teams__team--name{display:inline-block;}}/*!sc*/ But purely as a hitter, Ohtani can easily claim to be worth $25 million a year and probably $30 mildo. .mHQYb .p-search-item__container--sm{font-size:12px;height:30px;min-width:150px;}/*!sc*/ ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 06: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels pitches during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (So much for those shaky spring training stats, huh?) MESA, Ariz. -- Shintaro Fujinami expected to battle nerves in his highly anticipated As debut, which was only amplified once it was announced that the pitching matchup would come against Japanese countryman Shohei Ohtani. Of course, his success as a hitter cant be overlooked. .HQoYx{border:0;padding:0;text-align:center;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top [class$='__nav-item__text']{color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner{width:100%;display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-align-content:center;-ms-flex-line-pack:center;align-content:center;position:relative;}/*!sc*/ Why are the Angels wearing jersey patches with FBM on them? All of them are nasty. 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*/ Second, consider Ohtani's two wipeout out pitches: his splitter and his slider. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button.account--logged-in::after{background:none;bottom:-17px;content:'';height:22px;left:auto;right:7px;opacity:0;position:absolute;-webkit-transform:rotate(45deg);-ms-transform:rotate(45deg);transform:rotate(45deg);-webkit-transition:opacity 100ms ease 100ms;transition:opacity 100ms ease 100ms;width:22px;}/*!sc*/ Shohei Ohtani is a 23-year-old Japanese professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Angels for the American Major League. .hHLkAw input::-webkit-input-placeholder{color:#aaaaaa;}/*!sc*/ /*-->*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .icon-globe{margin-left:32px;}/*!sc*/ Image source: baseball-pitching-tips.com. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav{border-top:solid 4px #057AFF;}/*!sc*/ .bZhBFV img{max-width:220px;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item--spotlight{background-color:#333333;}/*!sc*/ .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*/ That was part of the original plan, Maddon said. He's averaging 89.9 mph on the split-finger in 2021, up over two-and-a-half ticks from the 87.3 mph he averaged as a rookie in 2018.