Josh Staumont of the Royals threw a dominant sequence that caught attention late Friday. With a one-two count, he fired a 100 mph fastball right down the middle. The umpire called it a ball. Staumont looked back and asked if it was high, and the ump said yes. The replay showed it was clearly a strike. The missed call didn’t rattle him. He followed with another 100 mph heater and two sharp breaking balls around 84 mph. The mix made it nearly impossible for the hitter to adjust.
The questionable strike zone raised eyebrows. The pitch was so obviously in the zone that some joked the ump needed a drug test. Staumont’s reaction was confused but composed. He didn’t argue, just seemed baffled. His command and pitch quality stood out. If fans didn’t know his name before, they should now. Staumont showed elite stuff and handled a bad call without losing focus.