Daily dose of Yordan (Game 78)

Today's statline: 0-3, 2 K, BB

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At bat 1 (Top of second): 2 pitch groundout to first

Yordan initially showed bunt with the heavy shift, kinda surprising move, but he hit a low slider in the zone foul. He then took a good hack at the exact same pitch and grounded it deep down the line, but right to the shifted first baseman who got the out.

At bat 2 (Top of fourth): 4 pitch walk

Yordan saw just 4 pitches in this at bat, most of which were extremely borderline pitches. The first one was a fastball that could have gone either way, and the second one was a slider just a bit outside. He then watched two inside pitches, a slider kind of inside and a fastball way inside and near his hands to take the four pitch walk. He would not score though, as although Correa would drive in one with a sac fly Tucker grounded out.

At bat 3 (Top of sixth): 4 pitch strikeout swinging

The at bat started the same way the last one ended, with an inside fastball near his hands that Yordan took for a ball. Then Skubal pumped in a fastball that probably shouldn't have been called a strike, as on the broadcast it looked an inch or so off the plate, but was called for strike one. Then Yordan got a perfect pitch, fastball right down the middle, but he was just a bit late, as he fouled it off opposite field to make the count 1-2. Then Skubal threw a slider way out of the zone that Yordan swung and chased badly for the strikeout swinging.

At bat 4 (Top of eighth): 4 pitch strikeout looking

Very interesting approach by the reliever this at bat, as he threw Yordan only fastballs. Yordan watched the first one go right down the middle for strike one, before watching an inside low one for ball one. He then again was late on a fastball right down the middle, before watching a 100 MPH fastball that probably should have been a ball, but could have gone either way. Given how the ump was treating the strike zone in previous at bats (notably at bat 2) it would have been reasonable to expect him to call that a ball. Yordan also seemed to be visibly upset with the call and had some words with the ump after the inning ended.