The Chicago White Sox resorted to desperation while trailing the Boston Red Sox in a blowout on Monday.
White Sox starter Lucas Giolito got pounded and allowed eight hits, two walks and eight runs over 1-plus innings. That put the White Sox in a big hole early in the game, and matters only got worse. The Red Sox added runs in the third and fourth to take a 10-2 lead.
By the time the seventh inning rolled around, Tony La Russa decided he’d had enough. He put in Yermin Mercedes to pitch.
Keep in mind that Mercedes is the team’s DH. He had not played an inning in the field prior to Monday. Mercedes mostly caught and played first base during his minor league career.
But La Russa let him pitch in the 7th with the team down 10-4.
Mercedes gave up three hits and two walks, but he was lucky to get a double play and fly out to escape with only one run allowed. Mercedes now has a somewhat respectable 9.00 ERA. It could be a lot worse for a position player.
Here’s how he looked:
#RedSox don’t care that Yermin Mercedes is pitching. They’re still doing damage at the plate.
J.D. Martinez knocks in another run with this single into LF. He’s now up to 20 RBIs this season, which leads all of baseball. #RedSox up 11-4. #DirtyWater pic.twitter.com/QF6JpwIRXn
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) April 19, 2021
Mercedes also drew attention for his Fernando Rodney-style hat:
5-foot-11, 245-pound catcher Yermin Mercedes is on the mound for Chicago.
He went full Fernando Rodney pic.twitter.com/WJSmUppBhj
— BroBible (@BroBible) April 19, 2021
As if that weren’t enough, the White Sox had second baseman Danny Mendick pitch after Mercedes.
The two teams played 7-inning doubleheader games on Sunday. The extra games likely drove the White Sox’s desire to save their pitchers.
