It’s been a season of adjustments for Cincinnati Reds outfielder Shogo Akiyama.
He wasn’t in the lineup Friday or Saturday against left-handed starting pitchers. That’s new for him after he played in 739 consecutive games in Japan. It’s the first time in six years that he’s been asked to pinch-hit in games. He’s learning each pitcher for the first time and he’s becoming more comfortable playing in left field.
So, Akiyama was encouraged Saturday by his pinch-hit RBI triple in the seventh inning. It was the first triple in his MLB career. He was hitting .237 entering Sunday with a .