Mike Trout’s kryptonite is Kenley Jansen (Video)
By Mark Powell
Mike Trout is superhuman against every pitcher but one
In a close matchup against their crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Angels came up just a bit short against the Dodgers, with the superior, likely playoff-bound LA team shutting down the best hitter in the game when it mattered most. In the tenth inning with a runner on second base (thanks to the extra innings rule in a shortened MLB season), Mike Trout stepped to the plate with two outs needing a base hit in a critical moment.
Rather than pitching around the best hitter of his generation, Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen went after Trout, painting the corners in pinpoint fashion.
Trout stared at three straight strikes, all on the edge of the zone
None of the above three pitches were misplaced, and all would’ve been tough to make contact with even had Trout taken the bat off his shoulder. With his most recent strikeout, Trout is now 1-for-8 career against Jansen with six K’s. That’s more than a small sample size at this juncture, and perhaps further evidence of just how capable Trout is at this point in his career.
The only way to strike out the best hitter in the game right now is perfectly-placed pitches at the edge of the zone. That says more about Trout than it does about Jansen, despite the Dodgers’ closer’s exceptional ability when he’s at his best.
For the Dodgers, this was just another win on their way to what they hope is a World Series victory, rather than a tease of their full potential.