In Sunday night’s Game 5 of the World Series, with the Red Sox holding a significant lead going into the bottom of the ninth inning, starting pitcher Chris Sale was brought in to close out the game. I immediately cringed, because it felt like yet another attempt to try to force A Madison Bumgarner Moment, and that annoys me every year.
What Bumgarner did was truly special, and necessary, so it feels cheapened every time a manager decides to throw a starting pitcher into the game all willy-nilly. Especially when they have a commanding lead.