Did you see Zack Greinke’s single last night? Don’t count on seeing many pitchers other than Shohei Ohtani at the plate after Game 5 — like, maybe ever.
If the Series returns to Houston for Game 6, and perhaps a Game 7, the designated hitter rule will be in effect at the American League ballpark. And if the series ends tonight, attention will quickly turn toward the fate of baseball’s collective bargaining agreement, which is scheduled to expire in December.
A subject of negotiation: adoption of a universal designated hitter.
If the D.H. takes effect across baseball for next season, instead of only in the A.L., Sunday’s game will be the last time pitchers were required to take a place in the batting order.
“Take the brutality, so to speak, of what pitcher hitting has become, and I still feel like it allows for way more strategy in the National League,” Tom Glavine, the Hall of Fame left-hander and one of the best-hitting pitchers of his generation, said a few days ago. “I’m hoping that that part of the argument will certainly be a strong one, but it seems now that there’s more momentum than ever to get rid of it.”
Dusty Baker, Houston’s manager, also voiced support in recent days to keep the rules as they have been since 1973: a D.H. in the American League, and pitchers hitting in the National League.
“Let the D.H. stand in the American League, and in the National League play the National League style of ball because they’re both interesting in its own fact,” Baker said on Saturday afternoon.
“The reason why I’m not for the D.H. in both leagues is because D.H. is kind of hurting some of the kids that are coming up that don’t want to play a position that just want to D.H. at 12 or 13 or 14, and you go to a Little League game or you go to a Little League practice, and after they hit, they’re ready to go home,” he added. “There’s more to the game than just hitting if you’re going to be a ballplayer.”
There are, of course, some pitchers eager to avoid walking into the batter’s box again.
“I’m always late to the on-deck circle, just because I need to unplug for a minute, and I like to worry about the job that I have to do on the mound,” said Charlie Morton, who started Game 1 for Atlanta. “That’s what I’m paid to do, that’s what I’m prepared to do, spend the vast majority of my time doing. They’re paying guys lots of money and guys are working their tails off trying to be good hitters, and I’m up there taking at-bats.”
He may get his wish.
As for Greinke, he had a two-word response when a reporter asked him after Saturday’s game what he thought of maybe being the last pitcher to record a hit in the World Series.
“We’ll see.”
Other than a slightly later start time, the details of how to watch Sunday’s potentially decisive Game 5 are the same as they have been for previous games in the Series.
-
Who: The Houston Astros vs. the Atlanta Braves
-
What: Game 5 of the 2021 World Series
-
When: 8:15 p.m. Eastern time
-
Where: Truist Park in suburban Atlanta
-
Watch: The game will be broadcast on Fox and will be streamed on FoxSports.com as well as streaming services like FuboTV, Hulu Live and YouTube TV.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
