Fujinami gets dream matchup with Ohtani in spring debut
MESA, Ariz. — During his introductory news convention in Oakland final month, Shintaro Fujinami expressed pleasure about the potential for an eventual showdown with fellow countryman Shohei Ohtani within the huge leagues.
Turns out, he received’t have to attend that lengthy.
Mapping out the plan for the beginning of Cactus League motion, A’s supervisor Mark Kotsay revealed that Fujinami will make his spring debut on Tuesday at Hohokam Stadium towards the Angels, who’ve already introduced Ohtani as their starter for that Feb. 28 contest.
“I’m sure there will be a lot of excitement about seeing these two,” Kotsay mentioned. “I think it’s been a long time since they’ve been on the same field together.”
Fujinami and Ohtani share a historical past collectively that dates again to their days as highschool phenoms. The two have been each first-round picks within the 2012 Nippon Professional Baseball Draft, Ohtani signing with the Nippon-Ham Fighters and Fujinami touchdown with the Hanshin Tigers by way of a lottery course of.
Ohtani starred each as a pitcher and hitter within the NPB in 5 seasons earlier than signing with the Angels in December 2017, whereas Fujinami spent 10 seasons in Japan, encountering some troubling command points after preliminary success over his first few seasons earlier than a resurgent 2022 marketing campaign noticed him minimize his stroll price right down to a career-best 7.6% whereas posting a 3.78 ERA with 65 strikeouts over 66 2/3 innings.
Tuesday’s matchup will mark the primary time Fujinami and Ohtani share the identical baseball area in a sport setting since 2014, when the 2 teamed up towards stars of Major League Baseball within the Japan All-Star Series. As for prior encounters, Fujinami recalled a highschool match through which Ohtani homered off him.
“Obviously, [Ohtani is] one of the best players in the world,” Fujinami mentioned by way of translator Issei Kamada. “It’s a rare matchup. I’m pretty sure Japanese fans are looking forward to it. I also look forward to pitching against him, too.”
In advance of Tuesday’s begin, Fujinami confronted A’s hitters for the primary time this spring in a dwell batting observe session on Thursday. First to step into the field towards the right-hander was Tyler Wade, who was impressed by Fujinami’s repertoire, which included a biting slider and fastball that maxed out at 97 mph.
“It was coming out hot,” Wade mentioned of Fujinami’s pitches. “I was telling everybody that everything out of his hand looked the same. He was tunneling it really well. His pitches had good shape. Good movement. Late movement. He was locating really well, which is a good sign for it being this early in camp.”
Asked if Fujinami’s stuff compares to anybody else he’s confronted earlier than, Wade, a teammate of Ohtani’s final yr with the Angels, couldn’t assist however consider the two-way star after pondering.
“That’s tough,” Wade mentioned. “I would say Shohei just because similar actions on all of his pitches. It looked good. I don’t know the comp. But his stuff looked really good.”
Which pitch appeared the most effective?
“The slider,” Wade mentioned. “I would [also] say his heater just because how hot it came out. But his slider had the location of it. It looked exactly like the heater coming out of his hand. I would say those two. … He backdoored a couple of cutters. It all looked good.”
The A’s will slowly look to construct up Fujinami as a starter this spring, considering the truth that he spent the vast majority of his time in Japan pitching in a six-man rotation. For the primary day out, he’ll be on a pitch depend of round 35 pitches. Ohtani probably is not going to be one of many opposing batters, because the Angels are anticipated to permit him to deal with pitching.
“As we start this thing out, it’s pretty scripted in terms of pitch count and building guys up,” Kotsay mentioned. “I wouldn’t see Fuji going any more than [two innings].”
