What about NC? Why did they put 46 homers on the mound…Background of the first foreign beast appearance in history
Aug 25, 2025
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However, the pitcher's face on the mound was unfamiliar. It was none other than a foreigner 'other' Matt Davidson. Davison, who started as the first baseman on the day, immediately took the mound after relaxing his arms. Designated hitter Kwon Hee-dong took the first base.
When I got on the mound, it was different. He threw only two pitches, but his fastball speed reached 138km-137km. Surprised by the unexpected pitching, Lotte Giants' Hwang Sung-bin was out by flying a ball to center field.
It was a day when he suffered a series of painful errors than the opponent's batting line explosion and suffered a crushing defeat by 12 points, but it was a wonderful fan service that slightly touched the hearts of fans who visited the Changwon site.
But it turned out that Davison himself claimed to be the one who took the mound. Davison visited pitching coach Lee Yong-hoon during the game and said, "The score difference is big today, and if you need a pitcher, I'll throw it" conveyed his intention.
For NC, it is the first time (based on the regular season) that a fielder has taken the mound as a pitcher since its foundation in 2011. For the first time in professional baseball history, Davison also carved his name as a `foreign fielder who pitched as a pitcher.'
In the case of Major League Baseball, which plays a 'final game', fielders sometimes take the mound, but it is not common in domestic professional baseball. However, the NC bullpen situation was that difficult on that day.
Starter Lee Joon-hyuk was replaced without completing the second inning, and the difference in scores was so large that bullpen pitchers were forced to get tired.
Eight runs in the fourth inning already widened the gap to 2-14, but there were five more innings left. Kim Tae-hoon, who took the mound in the fourth inning, held out by recording 46 pitches until the fifth inning. Choi Woo-seok then threw 35 pitches in two innings and Kim Min-kyu threw 29 pitches in one ⅔.
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However, since the player's own request, the bullpen situation was not easy, and there was a big difference in scores, he planned Davison's appearance as a fan service.
Davison has taken the mound as a pitcher several times during his Major League career. He has played six ⅓ innings in six games, five hits, three walks, and two runs and 3K. In particular, among the hitters struck out by Davison is New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton (2018).
The most recent appearance was against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 1, 2020, when he was with the Cincinnati Reds. On this day, Davison took the mound as a pitcher in the top of the eighth inning, trailing 1-14, and played two innings, recording three hits (one homer) and one walk and two runs. Coincidentally, the St. Louis starter was Kim Kwang-hyun (SSG Landers), and he pitched five innings of three hits and no runs, becoming a winning pitcher.
Davison "I hope there won't be a situation where the gap is as wide as today in the future. However, he said, "I'm ready to take the mound for the team at any time."
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
