It’s a rare stat in baseball, but on Wednesday, Nolan Arenado notched an offensive assist.
So, Jordan Walker, St. Louis’ 20-year-old outfielder, had never faced Madison Bumgarner.
Before his second at-bat, Walker asked “one of the best hitters to ever live” for a real-time scouting report. Arenado told him that if Bumgarner’s fastball wasn’t hitting its spot, expect to see a curveball thrown for a strike.
After a fastball for a ball, Walker crushed the curveball — a rare one in the strike zone against the kid these days.