Nationals manager Davey Johnson said Sunday that right-handed starter Chien-Ming Wang came through his return to the majors relatively unscathed. But the 31-year-old still has to pass another significant test when he goes back on the mound Wednesday afternoon against the Atlanta Braves. For now, at least, no unusual arm soreness has been reported. But let’s see how Wang’s velocity holds up on four days’ rest at the big league level.
So how did Wang, out for two years following shoulder surgery, do Friday in his first game since July 4, 2009? Well, six runs — four of them earned — and an awful first inning will temper the enthusiasm. It’s hard to get too excited when you’re down 4-0 after six batters. But examining that rough start more closely yields a few positive nuggets.
Wang’s sinker — the pitch that forged his reputation with the New York Yankees — had good movement, and the velocity of both his sinker and his fastball ranged from 88 to 93 mph, according to the Nationals Park scoreboard radar gun. Even with his final pitch — No. 60 — Wang reached 92.
Wang’s delivery was “free and easy,” Johnson said. That’s good. But Johnson wasn’t in love with Wang’s arm slot at times. It’s hard to control the ball if you can’t stay on top of the pitch. Wang’s breaking balls were rough. He threw about 15 sliders ranging from 76 to 85 mph. But the sinker stayed consistently at 90 or a tick above. Wang threw about 36 of them total. He needed 24 pitches to get through that first inning, however. Otherwise Johnson might have stuck with him into the fifth.
