Caught in the Mike Yastrzemski mania at Fenway Park on Tuesday night was a Ferris wheel of pitchers taking their turn in the Giants' 7-6 win over the Red Sox in 15 innings.
Around and around they went.
Logan Webb started on the hill for the Giants and went five innings before Andrew Suarez took over. Nathan Eovaldi was the first man up for Boston before they went with Colten Brewer. And that was just the start to the marathon of pitchers stepping on and off the mound.
In total, the Giants and Red Sox combined to use 24 pitchers, tying an MLB record, according to ESPN Stats and Info. The Giants broke their franchise record by using 13 pitchers in one game, which tied an MLB record as well.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy had a little fun with the news of his team's new record after the win, too.
Bruce Bochy, informed that the Giants' 13 pitchers used broke the previous record of 11: "Shattered it!"— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) September 18, 2019
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"I wanted to get my 10,000 steps in," Bochy joked with reporters. "I was a little behind."
Bochy's career is coming to a close as he'll retire at the end of the season. The win put win one victory away from 2,000 for his career, and he's sure to remember this one. The legendary skipper has been known to make multiple calls to his bullpen, but that won't be the case in the future for whoever the Giants' manager is next year.
Starting with the 2020 season, MLB is implementing a three-batter minimum rule where a pitcher will have to either face a minimum of three batters in an appearance or pitch to the end of a half-inning. The days of the LOOGY (lefty one-out guy) seem to be over.
Bochy admitted after the game that he never wants to use 13 pitchers in one game, but when rosters expand in September, he always has tried his best to get call-ups on the mound. The rule is another attempt to speed up baseball and it's sure receive plenty of give and take with the good and bad next season.
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It might not be celebrated, but Bochy, the Giants and the Red Sox could have their names in the record books for a long, long time thanks to next season's new rule.
Here's a tip of the cap to Bochy and his non-existent Fitbit, and perhaps the real hero of the night, catcher Stephen Vogt, who caught all 294 pitches on the night.
