Hitters Pitching: The Curious Cases of Position Players Pitching….In Close Games

Position Players Pitch in Blowout Losses, Almost Never in Wins

Since the start of the 2014 season, non-pitchers have made 136 appearances on the mound.  All but 6 of these scenarios came with the non-pitcher pitching team losing by at least 5 runs – the vast majority were down by much, much more. Cut4, MLB.com’s irreverent and “cool” Twitter account likes to post dancing stick-figures whenever this occurs. Why? Because it’s a hilarious and goofy novelty.

Diamondbacks vs. Padres, 7/8/2018

There was no dancing stick figure from Cut 4 on Sunday though when Diamondbacks catcher Jeff Mathis entered a 3-3 game in the top of the 16th inning – because it wasn’t funny. The game was still very much up for grabs. By the time Mathis took the mound, the D-backs bullpen was empty and they’d even called on Zack Godley for an inning, who’d started just two days prior.

Manager Torey Lovullo was faced with a rough choice: put in another starting pitcher and disrupt the rotation and still maybe win, OR put a catcher on the mound and hope for a miracle. (It is worth noting that the D-backs were off Monday, meaning bringing in a starter wouldn’t necessitate another one going on short rest.) Torey chose the latter – and he almost got his miracle.

Mathis got lucky with a line out from the first hitter, recorded an ugly strikeout against the second, then worked Wil Myers to a full count before he crushed a game-winning HR to center field.

Nobody was surprised. Position players suck at pitching. They give up a lot of runs. Should Torey have brought in another starter? Should he have stretched Godley? Or was he truly out of options? Maybe he should have brought Mathis in the night before…?