Todd Frazier gets his first strikeout on a 55 mph knuckleball, a breakdown
What Happened
New York Mets veteran Todd Frazier takes the mound in the 9th inning of a blowout game against the New York Yankees, with his team trailing 15-2. This is Frazier's first pitching appearance of his career. Frazier starts by throwing a fastball for a called strike. He then goes to his cutter, which has good movement and deception as he hides the ball behind his hip. On an 0-2 count, Frazier calls for his knuckleball, a 56 mph offering that completely freezes Yankees hitter Adam Duvall. Duvall is left shaking his head, not happy about being struck out by the position player pitcher. Frazier continues to mix in his knuckleball, making the ball dance up and down as it approaches the plate. He gets ahead in the count again, 0-2, before going back to his cutter. The final batter pops out to the infield and Frazier completes a 1-2-3 inning, the first of the game for the struggling Mets pitching staff. As Frazier walks off the mound, the Mets ball boy hands him the baseball as a memento of his first career strikeout. Frazier acknowledges the accomplishment, saying "Pretty damn easy, guys" to the rest of the Mets pitchers, confident in his unexpected pitching prowess. The surprise appearance on the mound by veteran infielder Todd Frazier provides a rare bright spot in an otherwise lopsided game between the crosstown rivals. Frazier's ability to effectively mix his pitches, including a deceptive knuckleball, allows him to shut down the powerful Yankees lineup and earn his first career strikeout. This unlikely pitching performance by Frazier showcases his versatility as a player and gives the Mets a memorable moment in an otherwise forgettable game.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentTodd Frazier got his chance to prove his worth on the mound the other day.
First pitching appearance of his career for the Mets, who were down 15 -2, ninth
inning. The Mets hadn't had a 1 -2 -3 inning all game. But boom, get
him to hit it to your best defender, Marisnyk. Puts him away. Now here's the
big at -bat. First pitch, fastball, strike. Was it there? Yeah.
Sure. Yes. Next, calls for the cutter. Okay, a little cut fastball. Look at the
deception by Todd there. A little cupped wrist action. David Cohn, Masahiro Tonaka,
hidden behind the hip. Davey Garcia. These are all Yankees you're talking about. Shut up.
Those are right now. 0 -2, foul ball. Now he calls for the knuckleball, and
Todd says, Oh, you're too comfortable. with an 0 -2 pitch. Duvall straight froze.
I mean, Duvall straight froze. It's 56 -mile -per -hour knuckleball. I know it's behind
your head, but just straight frozen mode. And also not that happy. Duvall
doesn't have a hit in his game yet, and the rest of the team, they
put up 15 runs, so he wants to hit pretty bad. Not going to get
one, because Todd K's you. Strikeout on the back
of Todd's baseball card forever. Duvall's like doing that thing where he knows he's supposed
to laugh, but he really doesn't want to laugh. He doesn't want to get struck
out by Todd Frazier throwing a 50 -mile -per -hour knuckleball. Look at the movement
on this thing. Up, up, up, up, up. Okay, now down,
down. Wow, just gorgeous. Just beautiful. Um, just caught by all its glory
and its beauty. Says, yeah, okay. Enough of the plate for me. Strikes him out.
Next up, this umpire's going to make a play on the foul ball. 0 -1,
0 -2. He's ahead again. Drop the knuckleball, Todd. Let's see it dance. Uh -oh,
dance behind the batter again. Maybe that's Todd's move, you know. Got to keep him
honest up there. Now we're going to go back to the cutter. Away. Okay,
2 -2's the count. Knuckleball high. Now we're going to go back to, I don't
know what it was. Fastball right at the best defender again. Marisny calls it in.
1 -2 -3 inning. The first 1 -2 -3 inning of the night for the
Mets. Todd Frazier, 0 ERA with a strikeout. That's the first strikeout. Ball boy
gives him that. He gives it to that guy. Says, take care of me, pal.
And then there he is. Looks at all the rest of the Mets pitchers and
says, pretty damn easy, guys. Pretty damn easy.