ST. PETERSBURG -- Looking to improve on a rough Major League debut, Shintaro Fujinami brought a different style of pitching to the mound in his second start of 2023.
Aware of the challenge he was up against in a Rays offense that entered the day leading MLB in both runs per game (7.8) and home runs (18), Fujinami made a concerted effort to pitch to contact instead of just trying to overpower hitters with his nasty fastball-splitter combo. The approach was different. The result, however, was largely more of the same.
After cruising through a hitless first three innings on 44 pitches, Fujinami ran into trouble in the fourth but limited the damage to two runs. Soon after, however, a much-too-familiar bout with command issues crept up once again.
In each of his starts with the A’s dating back to Spring Training, Fujinami has encountered one bad inning where he loses all feel for the strike zone. In Saturday’s 11-0 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field, it was the fifth.
Fujinami began the bottom of the fifth by hitting Manuel Margot with a pitch. After Fujinami walked the bases loaded, Randy Arozarena delivered the knockout blow by grounding a two-run single into center that gave Tampa Bay a 4-0 lead.
The final line for Fujinami was similar to those he produced throughout the Cactus League and in his start against the Angels on April 1. Over 4 1/3 innings, he allowed five runs on three hits, four walks and one hit batter with one strikeout.
“It’s kind of the same storyline from his first start,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “He gets out of the fourth, which I thought was great. Then, going into the fifth, another leadoff [hit by pitch] and he walks the bases loaded. It’s the inability to control the strike zone, throw strikes and challenge hitters.
“He only gave up three hits. But when you give up four free passes, it’s generally not going to go well.”
Fujinami lasted just 2 1/3 innings and allowed eight runs on five hits and three walks against the Angels. His downfall in that outing was an eight-run third inning in which he shied away from his fastball and left too many sliders over the zone.
Against the Rays, Fujinami did demonstrate some improvements in his pitch sequencing by mixing his pitches a lot more evenly. Of his 79 total pitches, the Japanese right-hander threw 36 fastballs, 18 splitters, 17 sliders and eight sweepers.
When the Rays did make contact against Fujinami, it was mostly weak, with an average exit velocity of 86.3 mph on their 15 balls in play. His stuff also remained tantalizing, as he maxed out his fastball at 99.3 mph and generated 11 swings and misses.
“I feel like I did a better job than last time,” Fujinami said through interpreter Issei Kamada. “But today’s game, the walks kind of killed me. I didn’t feel like I got beat. Next time, I’ll continue to try to attack the zone and, hopefully, I’ll do better.”
From the Rays’ perspective, their success off Fujinami was a product of in-game adjustments that were made after seeing him their first time through the order.
“I think early on, [Fujinami] was not necessarily in the zone, but we were kind of going out of the zone with him,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I think the guys collectively made a good adjustment on making sure that, once we got in hitters' counts, let's try to stay in hitters' counts, swinging at good pitches. I know [Rays hitting coach] Chad Mottola has reinforced that throughout all spring, so when it happens in the middle of the game, it's pretty rewarding.”
The command issues are not limited to Fujinami. Through eight games, the 7.00 ERA compiled by A’s pitchers is third highest in the Majors. Their 39 walks are fourth most, and their six hit batters are tied for second most.
On Saturday, the A’s walked six batters and hit three.
“That’s [nine] free bases,” Kotsay said. “Against good quality teams, this is going to be the result. We need to get control of what we’re doing on the mound. All in all, if we’re going to give up eight or nine free bases and be behind, it’s a challenge.”