Twins’ Kenta Maeda throws two scoreless innings as hitters ‘knew each pitch that was coming’

Baseball is tough sufficient for pitchers when hitters are clueless as to which pitch they’re making an attempt to hit. 

The job turns into practically unattainable when batters are tipped off as to which pitch is coming their approach, however not for Minnesota Twins pitcher Kenta Maeda, who threw two scoreless innings towards the Tampa Bay Rays, whilst hitters knew which pitches have been coming their approach. 

Kenta Maeda, #18 of the Minnesota Twins, throws throughout a workforce exercise on Feb. 18, 2023 on the Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida.  (Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)

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Maeda allowed two hits on Thursday, putting out two and strolling one, in simply his second begin since present process Tommy John surgical procedure two seasons in the past. 

“I mentioned, ‘Nicely carried out. By the way in which, one thing to notice, they knew each pitch that was coming,”’ Twins supervisor Rocco Baldelli mentioned.

Rays hitters have been tipped off to the pitches resulting from PitchCom machine utilized by catcher Tony Wolters being louder than regular. 

Kenta Maeda, #18 of the Minnesota Twins, and his translator look on towards the Chicago White Sox within the eighth inning at Target Field on July 14, 2022 in Minneapolis. The White Sox defeated the Twins 12-2.  (David Berding/Getty Images)

Plate umpire Brennan Miller might hear the pitches, and after a dialog with umpires after the second inning, the machine was adjusted. 

Maeda made his return to the mound final Saturday towards the Rays after present process Tommy John surgical procedure on Sept. 1, 2021. 

“Coming off of an harm for such a very long time, I wished to really feel good by throwing a first-pitch strike,” Maeda mentioned via interpreter Dai Sekizaki, based on MLB Network. 

Minnesota Twins Pitcher Kenta Maeda, #18, delivers a pitch to the plate in the course of the MLB spring coaching sport between the Minnesota Twins and the Tampa Bay Rays on March 2, 2023, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire through Getty Images)

His first pitch was smacked for a leadoff double, however Maeda was capable of get out of a first-inning jam for a scoreless inning. 

“Just a aid to have the ability to come again scoreless,” Maeda mentioned. “And then as soon as I used to be again within the dugout, the teammates welcomed me again, and that was a very nice feeling. I’m excited to be again with the fellows.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report