Tomoyuki Sugano wasn’t getting any help from the umpire. The veteran Japanese pitcher dropped three straight pitches that all looked like strikes, and none of them were called. The first one was a borderline high fastball, but the next two were right over the middle. Sugano reacted a bit after the first call, and from that point on, it seemed like the ump wasn’t going to give him anything close.
Sugano is not some unproven rookie. He’s been dominant in NPB for almost a decade, posting sub-2.50 ERAs in seven of nine full seasons and throwing over 20 starts most years. This is the kind of pitcher who usually gets the benefit of the doubt. The fourth pitch of the at-bat was the most obvious strike, and it still wasn’t called. The frustration was clear on the mound. The catcher even came out to try and smooth things over, telling Sugano “sorry man” and joking about breakfast, which didn’t help much.
Sugano is being posted and heading to MLB soon, which makes calls like this even more frustrating. It’s one thing for younger arms to get squeezed, but when one of the league’s top pitchers can’t get obvious strikes called, it stands out. If this is how he’s going out, it’s not a great look for the league.