Through 38 1/3 innings this season, Atchison has turned heads with his performance, striking out 29 batters while surrendering just five runs en route to posting a miniscule 1.17 ERA.
Unlike most in the majors, Red Sox first base coach Alex Ochoa anticipated Atchison's success. After facing Atchison in Japan, Ochoa — who played for the Hiroshina Toyo Carp — only mustered up one career hit against the pitcher.
"His approach is what he's using here — he's using the fastball off his cutter and pounding the outside of the plate with the cutter and in on lefties and just keeping it down," Ochoa said. "That's what he did in Japan. I faced him a lot when I was in Japan and I know exactly how he pitches."
Almost a little too well. Ironically, Ochoa's lone hit against the reliever took place during their first sequence against one another. As a member of the Hanshin Tigers, Atchison fired a fastball inside to Ochoa, who crushed a home run in that at-bat.
To this day, Ochoa reminds Atchison of the mammoth blast in the Red Sox clubhouse and offers up the exact details of the at-bat.
"He was throwing his cutter, he got ahead of the count and tried to throw a fastball in on me," Ochoa said. "I put a good swing on it and got a home run off it. I mess with him all the time about it. But I guess if you hit one home run in 10 at-bats and can't get another hit, I don't know if I have the bragging rights."
So how did Atchison adjust? He started perfecting a pitch — the cutter — that would result in his success in 2012.
"After that I ended up throwing a lot of cutters and sliders to him," Atchison said, laughing. "He was really good at spraying the ball over the field, so you had to mix back and forth with your pitches. You couldn't stay in one place on him. But it's friendly fun."
Ochoa cited the improvement of Atchison's cutter for his success. The late-breaking movement has stifled opposing batters this season, reminding the Red Sox first-base coach of his own challenges against the reliever.
But as a result of the string of success, Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine believes Atchison is deserving of an All-Star nod. It'll be a tough shot for Atchison as a long reliever, a role that doesn't usually receive high consideration.
"I think he’ll get mentioned," Valentine said. "I think he should get attention and mention. If you hit against him, you’d vote for him. I’d bet that."
Either way, it's a career year for Atchison.
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