Caleb Smith threw his ‘best stuff.’ Realmuto ‘battled.’ How a 16-pitch at-bat unfolded
.JPG "Miami Marlins starting pitcher Caleb Smith throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Thursday, April 25, 2019, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)")
The at-bat felt like it was never going to end — and made Caleb Smith think back to his first start against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Miami Marlins’ starter threw pitch after pitch to Philadelphia Phillies catcher and former teammate J.T. Realmuto in the first inning on Thursday. Realmuto kept fouling them off, similar to the 11-pitch at-bat at Marlins Park back on April 13.
“It felt like a flashback,” Smith said.
Smith won the first battle.
He would ultimately win the second.
On the 16th pitch, with each successive pitch of the at-bat getting the home crowd more amped up, Smith got Realmuto to whiff on a 93.7 mph fastball, but not before the All-Star catcher fouled off 10 consecutive full-count pitches.
“Here’s my best stuff,” Smith said of his approach during the first-inning battle with Realmuto. “Hit it.”
It was the starting point of another dominant outing for Smith, who struck out eight batters (including Realmuto a second time later in the game) through six innings to help the Marlins to a 3-1, 10-inning win at Citizens Bank Park.
But that one at-bat alone took a heavy toll on Smith’s pitch count and possibly knocked him out of the game early. Smith finished with 102 pitches through six innings but didn’t throw more than 17 pitches in a given inning outside of that 32-pitch first frame.
“That can knock a guy down,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said, “but he just kind of kept coming. ... He did a nice job of hanging in.”
Here’s how the at-bat unfolded:
Pitch No. 1: 93.6 mph four-seam fastball low that bounces of Jorge Alfaro’s glove. Ball 1
Pitch No. 2: 92.8 mph four-seam fastball right up the middle. Called strike. 1-1.
Pitch No. 3: 84.2 mph slider. Fouled straight back. 1-2.
Pitch No. 4: 86.6 mph slider that bounces in the dirt. Ball. 2-2
Pitch No. 5: 83.8 mph change-up. Low and inside. Ball. 3-2. Full count
Pitch No. 6: 83.4 mph change-up. Fouled down the first-base line.
Pitch No. 7: 93.6 mph four-seam fastball. Fouled straight back.
Pitch No. 8: 83.7 mph change-up. Fouled down the first-base side. Smith got Realmuto to chase on a low pitch here.
Pitch No. 9: 94.6 mph four-seam fastball just on the outside of the strike zone. Fouled.
Pitch No. 10: 83.9 mph slider. Fouled straight back.
Pitch No. 11: 83.1 mph change-up. Fouled sky high into the seats ont he third-base side. The crowd is starting to get into it here.
Pitch No. 12: 94.1 mph four-seam fastball that’s slightly low. Fouled.
Pitch No. 13: 84.1 slider. Fouled into the seats on the first-base side.
Pitch No. 14: 91.7 four seam fastball. Fouled into the seats on the first-base side.
Pitch No. 15: 92.4 four-seam fastball. Fouled into the seats on the first-base side.
Pitch No. 16: 93.7 four-seam fastball. Realmuto swings and misses.
The usually calm and collected pitcher lets out a minor hop of excitement. The catcher slaps his bat on the ground and walks back to the dugout with a round of applause from his home crowd.
“He put up a good battle again,” Smith said. “Luckily, I came out on top.”
This story was originally published April 26, 2019 at 11:56 AM.
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