In a blowout game in MLB, it’s not uncommon for one of the teams to send a position player to the mound to try and complete the required innings as soon as possible.
This is often done as a way to avoid using important bullpen arms in a game that has been already (in theory) decided.
In fact, we have already seen many teams deploy position players are pitchers, most notably Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina.
But the San Francisco Giants have done it in two games in a row, making some sad history in the process.
“Luis Gonzalez is out here making franchise history,” SF Giants on NBCS tweeted today, with a picture of the player.
Luis Gonzalez is out here making franchise history pic.twitter.com/BoWx0ZLHD1
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 24, 2022
The picture has a message that says, “first time since at least 1906 a position player has pitched in consecutive games”.
Two Consecutive Tough Losses
The New York Mets beat the Giants 13-3 on Monday, which is the game in which Gonzalez took the mound.
The outfielder allowed three earned runs on three hits and a walk, with no strikeouts to his name.
On Sunday, it was the San Diego Padres being the ones that pummeled the Giants.
That game ended 10-1 in favor of the Friars, a direct foe in the quest for a postseason spot this year.
Gonzalez pitched in that game, too, and hurled a couple of scoreless frames with just one hit allowed.
He conceded no walks and didn’t register any strikeouts.
It’s not common to see the Giants, one of the most competitive teams in the last two seasons, get beat like that in consecutive games.
In those two contests, they allowed 23 runs and scored only four.
At 22-19, they are now six games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and 5.5 behind the Padres.
NEXT: Giants Can't Stop Sending Players To The IL