After shining start, Red Sox pitching prospect struggles
After shining start, Red Sox pitching prospect struggles
Despite not holding a prospect ranking that would catch most fans eyes, Chih-Jung Liu had a strong beginning to the season for the Portland Sea Dogs. Having started off the month of May with a no-hitter (7-inning double header game), the recent results have been far from the previous form.
In a string of four starts in his terrific May, he sported a 1.13 ERA in 23.1 IP. Unfortunately in the five starts since then, it’s been a different story for the 24-year-old. Having only completed five innings pitched once in this stretch, his overall ERA has ballooned to 4.35.
With a 1.52 WHIP, he isn’t limiting traffic on the bases either. An 8.85 H/9 and a 4.80 BB/9 are giving him tons of worries on the basepaths. On the brightside, his 10.35 K/9 is a solid number, though it could be argued his strikeout hunting is what’s leading to his overall lack of command of the strikezone.
Liu, a 2019 international signing out of Taiwan, is in his first full season at AA. Appearing in just one game last year, Liu is now getting his first lick of what struggling is like in the high minors.
While it is still early, the clock is ticking for him to prove who he is. Just an average farm hand, or is there more to him than what he’s shown? Later this week, Liu should get another crack at the Reading Fightin Phils.
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