It’s a striking choice. The team with the seventh-best bullpen in baseball (3.74 ERA) has a pitcher with an 8.57 ERA.

MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, reported on the signing of Japanese pitcher Shintaro Fujinami, 29, to the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.

Fujinami left his first big league club, the Oakland Athletics, for Baltimore in a one-for-one trade for left-handed pitcher Eastern Lucas.

Fujinami made his major league debut this season via the posted system 온라인카지노 (closed competitive bidding). With a four-seam fastball that sits in the low 90s, there was a lot of interest in whether he could prove to be a strong pitcher in the United States.

Despite the high expectations, Fujinami struggled early in the season. In 34 games (seven starts) this year, he was 5-8, 3-3 with an 8.57 ERA and 1.66 WHIP in 49 1/3 innings. The problem was his fastball. Despite his overpowering stuff, he struggled with his command, as evidenced by his 31 four-pitch walks in 49⅓ innings.

Fujinami struggled to overcome his early season struggles with his fastball.

A mediocre reliever who doesn’t seem to have much going for him based on his record this year. But why was he selected by Baltimore, a team with a solid bullpen?

It’s largely due to Fujinami’s rebounding performance.

Fujinami was so bad at the start of the season that he still had a 13.94 ERA a month after the start of the season. However, he seems to have adjusted to the league. In 11 1/3 innings in June, he posted a 3.97 monthly ERA, and so far this month, he has a 2.25 ERA in eight innings. It is also encouraging to see that his four-pitch count is slowly decreasing.

Fujinami has rebounded a bit since last month as he seems to have adjusted to the league.

According to MLB.com, “Fujinami’s primary weapon is a four-seam fastball that averages 98 mph and tops out at 102.1 mph. But he also regularly throws a splitter, cutter and breaking ball.”

“Baltimore needed more relievers to bridge the gap between starter and set-up man Jenrry Cano and closer Felix Batista, especially as the team was looking for options outside of the two right-handed pitchers in Cano and Batista,” he continued, explaining how the Orioles acquired Fujinami.

Meanwhile, the Orioles are 58-37 on the season (through 20 games) and in first place in the American League West. Strengthening the bullpen was an urgent need if the team was to have any hope of making the postseason.

Fujinami could revitalise the Baltimore bullpen, and it will be interesting to see how he performs in a different environment as he continues to adjust to the league.

Can Fujinami (#11) revitalise the Baltimore mound for his new club?