Few managers handle their pitchers and bullpen better than San Francisco’s Bruce Bochy, but the three-time World Series winner made the wrong call on Thursday night.
Bochy allowed pitcher Matt Moore to bat for himself to lead off the top of the 9th inning against the Dodgers despite throwing 119 pitches in the game so that the hurler could attempt to close out a no-hitter.
Moore was spared when Enrique Hernandez lined a ball to left-center that was robbed on a brilliant catch from Denard Span. Howie Kendrick then grounded out for the second out of the inning. That brought up Corey Seager, who battled and then blooped a single to shallow right.
Moore went from 119 pitches to 133 when Seager got the hit. He was lifted for Santiago Casilla, who recorded the final out to end the game and preserve the shutout — a 4-0 victory for the Giants.
Typically I support letting a pitcher go for history, but in this case I was against it. It all has to do with Moore’s pitch count, injury history, and the projected difficulty in closing out the no-hitter.
Moore tore a ligament in his elbow in 2014 and underwent Tommy John surgery. His recovery spilled into 2015, resulting in him making just 12 starts last season. For a guy who’s in his first full season back from Tommy John, throwing 133 pitches — the most of any starter in a game this season — is a risky proposition.
Once you get past 100 or so pitches, the common belief is that each subsequent pitch can result in more significant damage to one’s arm. Pitchers are laboring so much by that point that they are more prone to hurting themselves. Plus, Bochy knew Moore would have to retire Hernandez, Kendrick and Seager — three tough hitters — which would diminish the likelihood of a 1-2-3 inning, all while elevating his pitch count.
You have to wonder why the Giants would treat a pitcher they just traded three players for last month so carelessly. Bochy explained his thinking:
Bochy and Moore met after eighth, Moore said he felt great. Bochy: "It's hard to deny a veteran when he has a chance to make history."
— Alex Pavlovic (@AlexPavlovic) August 26, 2016
The Giants certainly did not appear to be protecting their asset on Thursday night.
