PORT STREET LUCIE — To understand the power of Shintaro Fujinami, look no further than DJ Stewart. The Mets outfielder/DH learned last season that 163 mph heat hurts even if you don’t work out.
Stewart saw Fujinami’s best moment on Aug. 6, when the Orioles right-handed pitcher struck out Fujinami on three pitches. Both had triple-digit heat, with the final fastball at the top of the zone clocking in at 162.6 mph.
Stewart took three swings but left with wrist problems as well as a K.
“I got some inflammation after that at-bat,” Stewart said. He discussed the cause of the injury with the Mets. And everyone came to the same conclusion. Maybe he swung too hard, maybe he gripped the bat too hard, but that happened against Fujinami. “That’s the only thing we can think of.”
Fujinami, one of baseball’s most exciting and wildest pitchers, is competing for a bullpen job with the Mets after an offseason deal, which Stewart said he celebrated.
The 6-foot-6, 180-pound flamethrower has to worry about opposing batters, not Stewart.
Fujinami averaged 98.4 mph with his fastball during his rookie season in MLB last year, but his ERA was only 7.18.
The Japanese right-hander couldn’t find the strike zone and didn’t establish himself as a starter with the Athletics, and was traded to the Orioles in July.
Fujinami was better out of the Baltimore bullpen and was often untouchable, but his control issues lingered.
Among pitchers who logged at least 60 innings last season, Fujinami’s 5.13 walks per nine innings were the ninth-most in baseball. Fujinami struck out seven batters in just 79 innings.
Fujinami is certainly a project, but he’s as intriguing a player as anyone in baseball. Back on August 6th, Fujinami needed a total of six pitches to sit Pete Alonso and Stewart before Omar Narvaez came to bat.
“He threw me three pitches, too,” Narvaez recalled with a smile, then felt a little proud that he hit an 0-2, 162 mph dart. “He was cheating with his fastball.”
Narváez saw Fujinami’s other big weapon, a 94 mph splitter that resembled his fastball until it disappeared beneath the zone.
Narváez caught Fujinami’s bullpen session during camp and came away impressed by the splitter, which moved more than he ever remembered.
“He throws gas,” Narvaez said. “We just let him throw strikes.”
Fujinami was scheduled to undergo his first test Thursday night and was scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut against the Nationals at Clover Park.
The 29-year-old is a bit delayed due to visa and personal issues that delayed his arrival until Saturday, but the Mets believe there is still plenty of time to prepare for the start of the season.
However, despite the Major League agreement, Fujinami is not a key to the opening roster.
He could still have a minor league option, and the Mets could ask him to prove he can throw strikes consistently before calling him up.
He got better as last season progressed, but still walked 4.55 batters per nine innings in Baltimore.
“I was feeling really good towards the end of last year. I’m just going to work hard and get better every day,” Fujinami said through translator Kazunari Kamata after arriving at Mets camp. “The biggest thing was being able to attack the zone more.” [in the second half]”
There are about a dozen relievers in Mets camp vying for two spots, and several could be lost to waivers if they don’t make the club, including Phil Bickford, Johan Ramirez, and Sean Reid-Foley. , there is a possibility of a tiebreaker.
The Mets could guarantee $3.35 million to the pitcher, who begins the season at Triple-A Syracuse. If the organization’s pitching staff can finally help Fujinami figure out how to throw strikes, that money will be well spent.
“That’s special,” Stewart, who was sidelined for six days after that heartbreaking strikeout, said of Fujinami. “At 103 degrees, he was definitely going up.”
