Washington Nationals fans welcomed Sean Doolittle back to the team with open arms in 2022, after a “gap year” in 2021 when he pitched in Cincinnati and Seattle following four years in D.C., and the literate left-hander has rewarded fans and his teammates with a perfect season to date.
In last night’s 7-2, Jackie Robinson Day victory in Pittsburgh, Doolittle tore through the Pirates’ 4-5-and-6 hitters, Yoshi Tsutsugo, Ben Gamel, and Diego Castillo, on nine pitches, anchoring four scoreless innings from the bullpen in relief of starter Erick Fedde.
Doolittle attacked the strike zone with four-seamers from the outset, daring Tsutsugo to swing and miss at high heat twice before locking him up on a 1-2 four-seamer that tailed down and in.