Snell, who surpassed 180 innings for the first time since the Cy Young season, said, “It’s the same this year...” [On-site interview]
The 2023 San Diego Padres' season is heading towards despair, but Blake Snell is shining more than anyone else.
Snell took the mound in an away game against the San Francisco Giants held at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California on the 26th (Korean time), allowing 4 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts, and no runs in 6 innings, lowering his season ERA to 2.25.
The team lost 1-2, but his pitching shined. “He had a good idea of how the opposing batters were going to attack,” Snell said of the game in a postgame interview.
He said, “I thought some hitters would target slow breaking balls, and some would be more aggressive. I feel like we dominated the game today by controlling the strike zone. “It had to be that way,” he continued.
With today's game, Snell set a club record by allowing 3 or fewer earned runs in 23 consecutive games. Since May 26, he has posted an earned run average of 1.20.
According to 'Opta STATS', this is the second best record among 23 game records since 1920, the live ball era, after Bob Gibson (0.85) in 1968.
He said, “As I understand myself, I am learning how to prepare for each mound. I think I have grown a lot over the past two years by learning about myself. “I thought about what kind of pitcher I am and what I should pursue,” he said, adding that this season’s good here results were the result of his own growth.
Regarding his current physical condition, he said, “It’s very good,” 무료스포츠중계 and added, “I’m always looking for ways to improve myself. “I am trying to maintain a steady pace while learning what I can learn,” he explained.
The only regret is that the team is underperforming. He did not hide his disappointment with the team’s performance, saying, “The ultimate goal is the postseason and the World Series, so it is natural to be disappointed.” He added, “I don’t know if I’ve ever played with such talented players.”
He, whose five-year, $50 million contract expires this year, added, “The thought that this month was the last made me burn.” “My last mound could have been my last home game with the Padres, and this could have been my last mound. “These facts made me run,” he said, adding that the thought that it might be his last time with his current team motivated him.
If the current rotation continues, it is possible for him to pitch in the last game of the season. Regarding this, he said, “We will find out in the next day or two,” and said that nothing has been confirmed yet.
Snell, who won the American League Cy Young Award with 21 wins, 5 losses, and an ERA of 1.89 while pitching 180 2/3 innings in 2018 while playing for the Tampa Bay Rays, completed 180 innings for the first time in five years with this appearance.
“The last time I pitched 180 innings, something good happened,” he said with a smile. He added, “I feel like something good will happen just like that time,” implicitly revealing his desire for the Cy Young Award.