Feb 19, 2023; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) throws during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
MLB: Spring Training-New York Mets Workouts
The “Ghost” pitch is ready to haunt the majors.
Japanese pitching sensation Kodai Senga has made an early impression with the New York Mets, and it’s because of how he can throw the baseball. Video surfaced on social media recently of no less a Met than Pete Alonso marveling about the pitch after he was struck out by it during his bullpen session.
“I don’t really have anything to base it off of…it’s like its own pitch,” he told the media.
The “Ghost Pitch,” as it was coined by Alonso, is considered by many to be a kind of forkball, while Senga himself calls it a splitter. Whatever its official category, Alonso is glad the man who has it in his arsenal plays for the blue and orange.
“I’m happy I don’t have to face him, that’s for sure. I’m happy he’s on our side.”
To throw the pitch, Senga spreads his hand wide over the ball and puts his index finger on the outside edge of one seam. He then puts his thumb on another seam and his middle finger across the middle white. He then tightens his grip before letting it fly, and the results have only added to its growing legend. When he first tried out the pitch in 2017, he dished out 16 strikeouts over 11 innings at that year’s World Baseball Classic.
The 30-year-old signed a five year deal worth $70 million back in December and is expected to pitch in the middle rotation for Mets this season.
