(Spoiler alert: Do not read on if you haven’t watched Thursday’s series premiere episode of “Pitch.”)
It turns out, there’s a lot more that goes into being Major League Baseball’s first female pitcher than just knowing how to throw a screwball.
Fox’s new sports drama “Pitch” begins as Ginny Baker (played by Kylie Bunbury) has just been called up to be the new starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres. But while that seems like a lot of pressure already, she also has to deal with her father’s (Michael Beach) expectations of her, an unwelcoming team and thousands of screaming fans, many of whom are little girls who now see her as a role model.
Ginny gears up for her first big game, and of course, has some issues even throwing within the strike zone. Off the field, she has her publicist (Ali Larter) pulling her in one direction, her team still not on board and taking it out on her, and her own insecurities and abilities to worry about.
But as feel-good sports dramas usually go, she gets it together and overcomes her nerves, the pressure and a cantankerous catcher, played by Mark-Paul Gosselaar.
“Pitch” is from creator Dan Fogelman, who also created NBC’s “This Is Us,” so of course, there is a major twist in the first episode.
After spending the whole episode being coached by her dad in both flashbacks and present day, it’s revealed that Ginny’s father actually died in a car accident, and those recent moments when he came to her for motivation and one-on-one pitching sessions were in her head — she was practicing alone the whole time.
And cue the waterworks.
“Pitch” airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.