104.6 mph! Duran's heat sets new velo ceiling for '23
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Jhoan Duran just popped the first 104 of the season on the radar gun.
The flame-throwing reliever threw three pitches 104 mph or faster in the Twins' 7-1 win over the Giants on Wednesday afternoon -- including a high of 104.6 mph and a game-ending strikeout of Casey Schmitt at 104.0 mph.
Duran's 104+ mph pitches are the fastest pitches in MLB this season. The previous high was 103.8 mph, reached by Jordan Hicks on March 30 and Aroldis Chapman on May 16.
They're also a career best for Duran, whose previous max velo was 103.8 mph, which he reached last Sept. 27.
Duran is just the eighth pitcher to throw a pitch 104 mph or faster in the pitch-tracking era, which goes back to 2008.
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Pitchers to reach 104+ mph, pitch-tracking era
Aroldis Chapman (67x)
Jordan Hicks (12x)
Jhoan Duran (3x)
Ryan Helsley (2x)
Mauricio Cabrera
Camilo Doval
Tayron Guerrero
Neftalí Feliz
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Duran, Chapman and Hicks are the only pitchers to hit 104 mph multiple times in a single game, and Duran, Chapman, Hicks and Cabrera are the only ones to record a strikeout at 104+ mph.