The count of 2 balls and 2 strikes placed him in an unfavorable situation as a batter. After a series of fastballs, the opposing team was likely to change their pitching strategy; hence the next decisive pitch could very well be a breaking ball, which would be his opportunity.
From behind the catcher's mask, Shima Keihiro flashed a subtle smile and made a special gesture towards Lin Guanglai on the pitcher's mound; Lin Guanglai understood instantly, and after a brief adjustment, he pitched the baseball.
The baseball shot out from between Lin Guanglai's index and middle fingers, heading towards home plate at an average speed; in the batter's box, Harper couldn't immediately discern the type of pitch from its trajectory, so he decided to watch for a bit longer, confident in his batting skills.
