Kikuchi takes the mound as Blue Jays aim for series sweep against Mets

Baseball

Published 04.06.2023

Kikuchi takes the mound as Blue Jays aim for series sweep against Mets

The visiting Toronto Blue Jays will probably be coping with a “ghost forkball” after they vie for a three-game collection sweep of the New York Mets on Sunday afternoon.

The ghost forkball is a pitch utilized by Mets right-hander Kodai Senga (5-3, 3.44 ERA), who will get the beginning on Sunday.

The pitch has accounted for 39 of the 70 strikeouts Senga has in 10 begins this season, in response to data supplied by the Mets.

Senga, who has but to face the Blue Jays, will oppose left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (6-2, 4.47) on Sunday. Kikuchi has but to pitch towards the Mets in his profession.

The begin on Sunday would be the first for Senga on 4 days of relaxation. So far this season he has pitched as soon as per week, which was his routine in his native Japan.

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Other than his first begin this season, Senga has pitched on 5 days’ relaxation seven instances, with six days’ relaxation and eight days’ relaxation one time every.

“He’s operating close to 100 percent as anybody could be this time of year,” Mets supervisor Buck Showalter mentioned.

Pitching has not been an issue for the Mets in dropping the primary two video games of the collection. They have dropped 3-0 and 2-1 choices.

“Obviously, we’ve had trouble scoring runs,” Showalter mentioned. “They’re pitching well, but we’re not swinging the bat very well.”

The Mets had been 0-for-11 with runners in scoring place and left 9 runners on base Saturday. Among the notable scufflers is shortstop Francisco Lindor, who was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and is in a 0-for-15 funk. He caught out to finish the fifth with a runner at second base and was booed by the gang.

“They’re expressing their frustration,” Lindor mentioned. “And I hear them, I hear them. I’m proper there with them. It’s acquired to get higher.

“These past two games, I haven’t gotten it done with people on base. If we would’ve gotten the W today, I would feel much better.”

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The Blue Jays haven’t been a lot better. They had been 2-for-13 with runners in scoring place and left 11 runners on base Saturday.

The successful hit was a double by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. towards David Robertson on a 1-2 curveball with two outs within the ninth inning.

“I just didn’t make a good finishing pitch,” Robertson mentioned. “He’s a good hitter. Wish I could’ve gotten it down a little more and maybe get a swing and miss or at least a softer ground ball, maybe something (third baseman Brett) Baty could field.”

First base was open with struggling Cavan Biggio up subsequent, however Showalter elected to pitch to Guerrero.

“Just trusted Robbie there,” Showalter mentioned. “I just have a lot of confidence in him once he got ahead there … just got a firm ground ball hit where we couldn’t catch it.”

Guerrero has been one of many Blue Jays’ hitters who hasn’t fairly lived as much as expectations not too long ago. He is hitting .285 for the season however .273 in three video games this month, with no homers and one RBI.

“He’s been grinding, there’s been some really good swings, there’s been some hard-hit balls,” Blue Jays supervisor John Schneider mentioned. “And I think that results aside, I think the time of the game that it was for us and what it meant for the outcome of it is going to be big for us.”