MiLB Pitcher of the Day: Chen-Wei Lin

The Cardinal Chronicle
Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Chen-Wei Lin
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

Chen-Wei Lin gave Springfield the kind of start that takes over a game.

Lin is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Minor League Pitcher of the Day after throwing six hitless innings in the Cardinals’ 10-4 win over the Wichita Wind Surge on Friday night at Equity Bank Park.

Six innings.

No hits.

Six strikeouts.

That is the headline.

Lin walked three, so the outing was not perfect, but Wichita never found a hit against him. He worked around the traffic, kept the Wind Surge off balance, and gave Springfield the cleanest pitching performance in the Cardinals’ full-season system.

That is how a starter sets the tone.

Springfield has played plenty of high-stress baseball lately, with big innings, late swings and games that have turned quickly. Friday was different because Lin gave the Cardinals control from the mound. He did not let Wichita build momentum. He did not let the game drift. He gave Springfield six hitless innings and allowed the offense to take over.

The Cardinals backed him with 18 hits and 10 runs, led by Dakota Harris, Jon Jon Gazdar and Ryan Campos. But the night started with Lin. When a pitcher gives his club six no-hit innings, everything else becomes easier.

That kind of start matters in Double-A.

It shows poise. It shows growth. It shows a pitcher capable of carrying a game beyond just flashing good stuff in short bursts. Lin worked the longest start of his season, picked up his second win, and gave Springfield one of its cleaner victories of the week.

Brycen Mautz deserves strong mention after throwing 5.2 innings of one-run baseball for Memphis in the Redbirds’ 4-1 win over Nashville. Luis Gastelum was also sharp, throwing 1.1 perfect innings with three strikeouts. Ryan Fernandez deserves mention as well after working a perfect inning in his first MLB rehab appearance.

But this one belongs to Lin.

Six hitless innings stands above everything else.

Old School Take

There are good starts.

There are quality starts.

And then there are nights when a pitcher does not give up a hit for six innings.

Chen-Wei Lin gave Springfield that kind of night.

He set the tone, gave the Cardinals length, and put the game in the offense’s hands.

Six hitless innings.

Six strikeouts.

That is why Chen-Wei Lin is The Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Pitcher of the Day.

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
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Photo Credt: Chen-Wei Lin, Springfield Cardinals | MLB