He was more powerful than Pedi. It’s a sign of the strongest foreign duo.

NC Dinos foreign pitcher Taylor Widener (27) thrilled NC fans. In his late debut in the KBO, he pitched more powerfully than Pedi, signaling the birth of the strongest foreign starting duo.

Widener made his debut in the first midweek game against Doosan at Changwon NC Park on the 30th. The fireballer was called up on the 28th after playing two games in the Futures League following rehabilitation for back pain prior to the opening day. He was originally scheduled to make his debut against the Changwon Hanwha on the 28th, but the game was canceled due to rain.

Before the game, NC manager Kang Myung-ho expressed his expectations, saying, “It might be a burden to pitch twice a week from the first pitch to Sunday, but I believe that he has prepared well in the Futures League.”메이저놀이터

Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop, who will face Widener with little information, said, “I don’t have any data. I only know that he throws three pitches,” he said, adding, “I’m sure the coaches have a game plan, but you can’t prepare for everything. There are things we need to adapt to as we play, such as speed, movement, and pitches.”

Widener after his debut against Doosan on March 30. Courtesy of NC Dinos
Kang’s expectations and Lee’s caution were realized.

Widener dominated the Doosan lineup with his strong stuff. Over six innings, he threw 98 pitches (66 for strikes) to 22 batters, allowing just two hits, two walks, and nine strikeouts. His fastball, which topped out at 151 mph, had plenty of life and movement. His opposite-trajectory changeup and slider danced and threw hitters off their timing. Aside from the changeup’s versatility, it was more powerful than the ace Pedey’s.

Widener was never in any real danger. Two strikeouts in the first inning, a walk, a single with two outs in the second, and a single with two outs in the third were his only outs. In the fourth inning, he gave up a leadoff single to Yang, but retired the next three batters with two strikeouts. A second triple in the fifth. Two batters later in the sixth, Yang gave up a double to right field. It was the first long ball of the day. The coaching staff came out, but Widener struck out the next batter, Kim Jae-hwan, to end the inning.

Widener turned the mound over to Ryu Jin-wook in the seventh inning with a 5-0 lead.