CTBC Brothers' Young Lefty Yu Chun-yu Analyzes Velocity Drop, Aims to Leverage 'Hidden Ball' Style

Central News Agency (Taipei, May 22) CTBC Brothers' 22-year-old left-handed pitcher Yu Chun-yu made his first career start in the CPBL, resulting in a no-decision. Facing a slight drop in velocity, Yu is investigating the cause and adjusting his weight. Aware that he is not a power pitcher, he has received analysis from manager Hirano Keiichi, who noted his 'hidden ball' delivery style and hopes he can maximize this advantage. Yu, who had one relief appearance last year, was called up on the 20th for his first start, pitching 4 innings and allowing 4 runs, including one home run. Yu evaluated his performance as having both positives and areas for improvement. His future as a starter depends on the status of foreign pitcher Nick Nelson. Last year, Yu split time between starting and relief in the minor leagues, appearing in 15 games as a starter and 4 as a reliever. He admitted to struggling with adjustments initially, but his mindset is different this year. He hopes to perform well in any role to seize opportunities. Regarding the velocity drop, Yu explained that after a two-week break following last season, he began training on the first day of autumn camp. Initially feeling good, he later felt his body was heavy, which he believes contributed to the velocity drop. Because he is not tall, he planned to increase his weight from 73kg to 82kg during camp, but realized this might have affected his speed. Over the past two weeks, he has reduced his weight to 76-77kg and feels better. He knows he isn't a power pitcher but aims to maximize his advantages. Manager Hirano has reminded him that from a batter's perspective, his delivery hides the ball well, so even if the pitch isn't fast, he should attack the strike zone aggressively.