When it came to the partnership between Hirokazu Sawamura and the Red Sox, there were so many questions.
From the player's perspective, he needed to be convinced. It wasn't necessarily a sell job when it came to money, but more in regards to wins.
The 33-year-old needed some evidence this Red Sox team was going to find a way to transform itself from a last-place team into an actual contender.
"I wanted to ask them how they were going to use me to get back from last-place in the AL East," the pitcher told WEEI.com.
"The first thing I really told them was that I wanted to play in America. And then I asked them if they were trying to win the World Series or if they rebuilding. If their answer was that they were in the process of rebuilding that wasn’t something I was looking for. I was looking for a team that was trying to win the World Series."
Then there was the uncertainty regarding the pitcher, himself. Sure, there was promise, as was evident in the final month of his 2020 season. But just before that run he was mired in the minor leagues.
"I thought my baseball career was going to end like that, staying in the minor leagues," he said. "I felt like I was on the downside of my career and that was how it was going end. I felt that, but I didn’t want to accept that fact."
Well, after the Red Sox' fifth straight win -- a 5-3 decision over Miami Monday -- it is safe to say all doubts have been put on the back-burner.
The Red Sox sit 1/2 game in back of first-place Tampa Bay, and Sawamura, as it turns out, is really, really good.
After his 1 1/3 key scoreless innings against the Marlins, the righty has allowed just one earned run in his last nine appearances while stranding 10 of the 12 runners he has inherited this season.
In 22 games, Sawamura has managed a 2.63 ERA, striking out 33 in 24 innings. And along the way, the reliever has managed to separate himself with a pitch that has become increasingly unhittable.
"He’s been amazing," said fellow reliever Adam Ottavino, who finished things off with a 1 1/3-inning save. "You see that he’s got a special pitch in that split, he throws hard, he works really hard, he’s focused, he’s locked in every day. He’s one of the boys down there. He’s really meshed really well. I can’t think of it going really any smoother for a guy first time in the States. Really happy for him and really happy he’s on our side.
He added, "I’m pretty sure it’s the hardest split in the game, maybe the hardest one ever thrown. I looked at it one day and it was definitely the hardest in the game. In and of itself, that’s unique, and then it still has action. You would think if you threw it that hard you might throw through the break on the pitch, but he does a good job of staying on top of it. You can see the hitters definitely think it’s a fastball out of his hand. It’s a pretty unique pitch. He showed me how to throw it but I don’t think I can do that."
It is a pitch Sawamura threw on 10 of his 21 pitches Monday, maxing out at an unthinkable 94.2 mph. Oh, and he's pitching on a two-year contract that pays him a total of $3 million, while possessing a third-year club option for another $3 million.
Things seem to be working for the team and the pitcher.
