Yesterday, with chants of “JI-MAN CHOI” raining down on him, the Rays firstbaseman reached base four times, on a single and three walks.
It was a strong performance by the TB fan favorite—possibly with the help of some crowd-influenced ball-strike calls, so the fans should feel good about this one. The way those at bats played out were also a perfect example of what’s been a season long battle in the up-and-away quadrant between Choi and right-handed pitchers.
And with the righty fireballer Gerrit Cole up next, how that same battle plays out will be a key to whether or not the Rays playoff run continues.