Kodai Senga threw the ghost fork for his first MLB out and completely embarrassed Yuli Gurriel in the process

When the New York Mets signed pitcher Kodai Senga from Japan this offseason, fans quickly got to learn about the 30-year-old’s signature pitch. And yes, it’s as spooky as it sounds.

Senga — who posted 2.42 ERA during his time in Japan — throws a fastball that tops out at 99 mph to go along with his own off-speed variation of the forkball called a “ghost fork.” It had been his get-out pitch throughout his career in the Japanese NPB, and on Sunday, that pitch was in action for the first time in a regular season MLB game.

The Marlins’ Yuli Gurriel was Senga’s first strikeout victim, and I don’t think anyone could’ve really anticipated the ghost fork doing this to a seasoned big-league hitter.

Kodai Senga, Ghost Fork.

Yuli Gurriel, Ghost Bat.

Senga's 1st Career MLB K. pic.twitter.com/e04s6rHFQR

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 2, 2023

The ghost fork had Gurriel losing his bat in a wild, off-balance swing. That movement truly was something else, and Senga struck out eight batters in the game — all with the ghost fork.

Kodai Senga's 8 ghost fork K's in his Mets debut

Averages for the strikeout pitches:
85.3 mph / 1,099 rpm
32 inches drop / 8 inches break pic.twitter.com/0FpHCiUFGc

— David Adler (@_dadler) April 2, 2023

The Mets would go on to win, 5-1, behind Senga’s 5.1 innings of three-hit baseball. It’s safe to say that fans took notice to the ghost fork as well.