'Untouchable at 170 km/h': DeGrom Finally Debuts in World Series; Will He Lead Milwaukee's Revenge After 57 Years? [MLB World Series Preview]

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The Milwaukee Brewers have deployed their most reliable weapon. In a moment they have waited 57 years for, the pitcher they can trust and entrust the most, Jacob deGrom (24), will take the mound as the starter in Game 1 of the World Series.

DeGrom is scheduled to start in Game 1 of the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason World Series (best-of-seven series) against the Tampa Bay Rays, which will be held at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, at 9:00 a.m. on the 24th (Korean time).

Founded in 1969, Milwaukee is aiming for its first championship in a staggering 57 years. The team first advanced to the World Series in 1982 while in the American League but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals, and it has now reached the World Series again after another 44-year wait.

After winning the National League Central Division title with a regular season record of 103 wins and 59 losses, Milwaukee defeated the San Diego Padres 3 games to 1 in the Division Series. In the Championship Series, they secured four consecutive victories against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who were challenging for a third consecutive World Series title, writing the ultimate comeback story.

The achievement carries even greater significance because Milwaukee is not a big-market team like the Dodgers but ranks 19th in total payroll. DeGrom was at the center of this success.

Drafted by Milwaukee in the second round, 63rd overall, of the 2022 amateur draft, he played in the minor leagues before making his major league debut last year. Unlike last season, when his fast pitch was accompanied by signs of instability, this season saw him emerge as the most dominant pitcher in MLB.

In 30 games, he pitched 174⅔ innings, recording a 16-5 win-loss record and an ERA (Earned Run Average) of 1.80. His strikeout total reached a massive 252, his opponents' batting average against him was 0.157, and his walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) was just 0.80.

The answer lay in a fastball of a different dimension. There was no way to counter DeGrom, who effortlessly threw 100 mph (161 km/h) fastballs and reached a peak velocity of 105.5 mph (169.8 km/h), approaching the 170th km/h barrier considered the limit of human capability.

He won the double crown for ERA and strikeouts, also ranking first in WHIP and strikeouts per nine innings (12.98).

His performance in fall baseball has been somewhat disappointing. After pitching four innings and allowing two runs in a start against San Diego in the Division Series on the 4th, leaving some to be desired, he pitched 4⅓ innings against the Dodgers on the 12th, limiting them to one run and laying the foundation for his team's victory.

It is a situation that would surely sting his pride himself. Expectations are high to see if he can deliver a precious victory against Tampa Bay and write a new chapter in team history.

Tampa Bay will start Nick Martinez. This will be his 11th career postseason start. In the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees, he allowed five hits and two runs over 3⅔ innings, but in Game 4 of the Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians, he pitched 5⅓ innings, allowing two hits and one run to lead his team to victory.

While his ERA was 3.90 at home this season, he performed much better on the road with an ERA of 2.43, including the playoffs. This is why Tampa Bay could confidently turn to Martinez instead of Drew Rasmussen, who displayed dominant form in this postseason by recording 23 strikeouts and a WHIP of 0.76 over 21 innings.

Tampa Bay also has yet to win a championship since its founding in 1998. After dominating the American League East Division with a record of 98 wins and 64 losses this season, surpassing the Yankees and Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay defeated the Yankees in three games in the Division Series and beat Cleveland 4 games to 2 in the Championship Series. They are aiming for their first title in their third World Series appearance, following 2008 and 2020.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original