Braves legend demands rule change after Kike Hernandez pitches for Dodgers against Padres
The Los Angeles Dodgers once again used position player Kike Hernandez to pitch in a blowout game to save their bullpen for the next day, much to the dismay of Braves legend John Smoltz, who called the tactic flat-out “embarrassing.”
A couple of games back, Hernandez came in relief in the sixth inning with the San Diego Padres leading 9-0. He threw what Ben Verlander called "lollipops" during his 2.1-inning stint in which he allowed one earned run. In the following game, the well-rested Dodgers bullpen secured a 5-2 win to seal the series.
It was not the first time Hernandez had been asked to pitch in a blowout game.
Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz expressed his frustration with teams using their position players to get through games.
"I think it’s the most embarrassing thing in sports," Smoltz told Verlander on the Flippin' Bats podcast (8:45 onwards). "I think, with the reality of all the smart people thinking pitching, bullpenning, bullpenning… and we’ve had more position players pitch in baseball games than ever before. What does that tell you? I think every once in a while you can say it’s cute, the fans kind of get on it.
"But when we’re having it at this alarming rate, I think baseball needs to do something about it. I know they’ve made a rule about when you can use that person, but you know what? At some point, people keep talking about, 'Well, let’s just have a mercy rule.' What are we doing?"
The MLB has made efforts to curtail the use of position players on the mound, but exceptions still exist.
Kike Hernandez makes MLB history after pitching 2.1 innings vs Padres
Kike Hernandez is a hitter but it will be his pitching that stands out in MLB history.
According to Jeff Praught on X, Hernandez's 2.1 innings against the Padres were the most any position player has thrown in major league history.
Hernandez has now pitched eight times in his career, throwing nine innings for six earned runs on 12 hits and four walks.