With the Giants down six runs in the ninth inning, they probably didn’t expect to see flame-throwing closer Jhoan Duran take the mound for the Twins. But Twins manager Rocco Baldelli opted to give Duran some work ahead of the off day.
That was bad news for the Giants because Duran was on another level on Wednesday.
Coming in with one out in the ninth inning, Duran — who was pitching for the first time since Saturday — set the tone right away with a 100 mph splitter that sharply dropped 28 inches against a swinging Blake Sabol. Like, pitches simply are not supposed to move like that.
Jhoan Duran's Obscene Stuff. 😳
-100.3mph Splinker with THAT movement.
-Fastball touching 104.6mph.
-90.2mph Curveball. pic.twitter.com/icOa1OoJ8o— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 24, 2023
Duran wasn’t done either.
Despite giving up a double to Wilmer Flores, Duran hit 103 mph seven times in the inning, including fastballs of 104.6 (shown 105 on the broadcast), 104.4 and 104 mph.
Jhoan Duran 104, 105, 104, 104 pic.twitter.com/qM0lKDH2IC
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) May 24, 2023
I don’t know what hitters are supposed to do with any of that except sit on a curveball and hope he actually throws one. No wonder MLB fans were impressed. That first-pitch splitter was especially unfair.