Detroit Tigers infielder Kody Clemens was sent to pitch on Monday night in a nine-run game in the eighth inning.
This season, more than ever before, teams will send position players to the mound to get those final outs in a game that has been, in theory, decided.
Clemens allowed one run and three hits, but he did get one strikeout to his name: he punched out the reigning AL MVP (and 2022 contender, too) Shohei Ohtani.
He did so with a perfectly placed 68-mph “fastball” on the outside corner.
Clemens was seen smiling after the big strikeout.
Baseball has those things: even in a lopsided affair, it can still rob a few smiles from us.
He Struck Out “The Best Player In Baseball”
Sam Blum of The Athletic talked to Clemens after the game, and he had some cool things to say after his at-bat with Ohtani.
“Kody Clemens got his 1st career K against Ohtani: ‘I’m just trying to get outs, and for it to come like that is obviously super cool. He’s the best player in baseball. So it’s a pretty cool moment for me.’ He said he might try & get it signed by Ohtani tomorrow, then frame it,” Blum tweeted after speaking to Clemens.
Kody Clemens got his 1st career K against Ohtani:
"I'm just trying to get outs, and for it to come like that is obviously super cool. He's the best player in baseball. So it's a pretty cool moment for me."
He said he might try & get it signed by Ohtani tomorrow, then frame it.
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) September 6, 2022
It would definitely be cool if Ohtani signed the ball for Clemens, so he can keep it as a really cool souvenir.
Clemens may not be having a very good season in 2022, as he is sporting a .470 OPS, but he can say that he struck out the most exciting and complete player in MLB.
How many position players can brag about that?
You might remember that Kody’s father, Roger, was very good at baseball.
This is just another cool achievement for the Clemens family.
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