Adolis vs. Devenski: Slider, changeup… and the untold story behind the 100th home run
Before taking the mound last Monday night against the Texas Rangers, right-hander Chris Devenski had not had pleasant experiences facing the swing of Cuban Adolis García. In two matchups, “El Bombi’s” relentless wrist-spinning had made the Cerritos, California right-hander succumb to offers. During his first game on May 7 of last year, Adolis destroyed a Devenski slider on an 0-2 count. The result? Three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning, which made the score 13-7 against the Angels.
The second challenge came just over a month later, on June 12. Adolis entered the batter's box in the bottom of the seventh inning with the game tied 5-5, two outs and bases cleared. So, you have to imagine what the most viable strategy was for Devenski: he walked Adolis on four pitches. In the end, the result was satisfactory for the Angels right-hander. Challenging Adolis, who had 14 home runs in his first 64 games of the season, would have been a risky act of daring. Still, Adolis continued to torment Devenski: he stole second on a 1-2 count, and then Josh Jung recovered in the count and also walked. Six pitches later, Jonah Heim delivered a grounder to first and Devenski trotted happily to complete the third out of the inning.
Since that night at Globe Life Field, where the Angels beat the Rangers 9-6 with a four-run rally at the start of the twelfth inning, the Adolis vs. Devenski had not had a replacement. The next matchup came last Monday night at Tropicana Field, with Texas enjoying a 6-3 lead heading into the eighth inning. Devenski, this time pitching for the Rays, challenged Adolis with a low changeup on the first pitch. El Bombi's swing couldn't reach him.
Devenski's second offer was another changeup, which moved away to the outside corner without attracting Adolis' aggression. The count was set at 1-1. What would be the next release? Another changeup? I wouldn't have been surprised, simply because Adolis's swing has been noticeably uncoordinated against changeups: only one of the 39 home runs he hit during the regular season last year was a changeup — 38% of Adolis's swings missed in 2023 were against changeups.
That was devastating.
However, as sluggers often do, Adolis devoured his opponents after starting his turns at 1-1. The advantage in the count generated a great feeling of danger for their opponents. Adolis mercilessly destroyed fastballs and breaking balls, hitting 14 home runs as he took a lead in the count. In fact, he has produced his best BABIP (.364) after deciding his counts after two pitches.
Either way, Devenski had a plan: He activated his slider and took another swing-and-miss. The count rose to 1-2, with an apparent disadvantage for the American League Championship Series MVP in 2023. What was the next pitch? Another slider? A changeup or a fastball again?
Devenski trusted his changeup, but the pitch couldn't get far enough and Adolis crushed him: the ball ended up landing 428 feet in the left field seats, with an exit velocity of 110.1 mph.
A typical bomb from El Bombi!
The game had lost its excitement since the Rangers took a 6-0 lead at the top of the sixth inning, but it's almost impossible not to enjoy it when Adolis hits a fly ball to the edge of the outfield. This time, the special thing for El Bombi was that, his second home run against Devenski in two times at bat, he transcended as the 100th home run of his career in the Majors. With 1,820 fewer plate appearances, Adolis tied Yonder Alonso (100 HR in 3,773 PA), becoming the 18th hitter born in Cuba to hit at least 100 home runs in MLB.
Let's take a look at the list of hitters born in Cuba:
Rafael Palmeiro, 569
José Canseco, 462
Tony Pérez, 379
José Abreu, 261
Tony Oliva, 220
Kendrys Morales, 213
Minnie Miñoso, 195
Yasmani Grandal, 185
Jorge Soler, 170
Yoenis Céspedes, 165
José Cardenal, 138
Yasiel Puig, 132
Yordan Álvarez, 129
Leo Cárdenas, 118
Alexei Ramírez, 115
Tony González, 103
Yonder Alonso, 100
Adolis García, 100
Seeing it this way, in a pure sample of home runs, Adolis appears as the 18th Cuban hitter, but see below the change that occurs in the ranking when we order by frequency:
PA/HR
Yordan Álvarez, 15.9
José Canseco, 17.6
Adolis García, 19.5
Jorge Soler, 20.5
Yoenis Céspedes, 21.2
Rafael Palmeiro, 21.2
José Abreu, 23.4
Yasmani Grandal, 25.1
Kendrys Morales, 25.2
Yasiel Puig, 25.6
Tony Perez, 28.7
Tony Oliva, 31.3
Yonder Alonso, 37.7
Minnie Miñoso, 42.2
Alexei Ramírez, 47.9
José Cardenal, 55.8
Tony González, 56.3
Leo Cárdenas, 62.7
Amazing! And this was one of those reasons: El Bombi completed the feat in 481 games and, although his predilection for disappearing balls at Angel Stadium is undeniable (he has hit seven home runs), his first home run and number 100 have been recorded at Tropicana Field against the Tampa Bay Rays. Yes, that sounds curious! In fact, Adolis hit his first homer on April 15, 2021 (2 years, 12 months and 17 days ago) in the same 1-2 count, on the fourth pitch of the at-bat, and facing a Rays reliever — Cody Reed with the game tied 4-4 at the start of the tenth inning.
The home run was the third he hit this season, so Adolis once again reaffirmed his tendency to hit balls during the months of April and May, where he has accumulated 20 and 21 home runs in his career, respectively — at that rate he has hit 61 of his 100 HR during the first half of the season. So, no doubt about it: All of this impressive impact likely resulted in former Astro Phil Maton hitting Adolis with an 89 mph fastball aimed at his left elbow.
Let him walk
After a similar fastball on the first pitch, Adolis didn't seem surprised, but walked toward first base quite upset. Four pitches later, Maton fractured the right wrist of Josh Jung, who attempted to swing at an 87 mph sinker. The benches did not empty, probably because the game had been decided three innings ago, but the waters could soon rise. In any case, among the missions of the Rays pitchers, it will be to stop the Cuban Adolis García, who continues to stand out as one of the main sluggers today in the Major Leagues.
Between sliders, changeups and smoking fastballs, El Bombi's journey towards the next hundred home runs is just beginning.