Baseball: Rakuten's new foreign slugger Victor shines in debut with powerful home run

Rakuten Monkeys' new foreign slugger Victor wasted no time making his presence felt, launching a solo home run to left field in his second at-bat during his debut game. The powerful hitter, who also played left field, introduced himself to the crowd with a long ball to center field.

Victor is set to bat third and serve as designated hitter on Friday. He joins fellow foreign batter Nick Williams, creating a potent one-two punch for the Monkeys. However, the two batters have distinct offensive styles. According to Rakuten manager Tseng Hao-chu, Williams exhibits better plate discipline and a more well-rounded approach at the plate, while Victor is considered a pure power hitter.

Williams has struggled in his initial appearances, batting .143 with nine strikeouts and no home runs or RBIs in six games. Victor, on the other hand, showcased his power immediately. Defensively, Victor handled his outfield duties well, making eight putouts without error. However, his throwing speed was identified as a clear weakness. "Victor's return throws are noticeably slow, and he's aware of the issue," Tseng admitted. "But his judgment of fly balls in the outfield was good." The team will need to find ways to mitigate this weakness.

With Williams recently sent down to the minor league team, the Monkeys will have to wait until August to potentially field both foreign batters simultaneously. Tseng indicated that their deployment will depend on the team's composition. Victor can play designated hitter or first base, though he hasn't played first base in a long time, presenting a consideration for the coaching staff. With league rules limiting active foreign players to two on the field at a time, and potentially one foreign pitcher starting, one of the foreign batters might have to wait on the bench or serve as a pinch hitter.

“

Victor's return throws are noticeably slow, and he's aware of the issue. But his judgment of fly balls in the outfield was good.