Watch: Giancarlo Stanton Gets Struck Out by a Designated Hitter
Move over, Shohei Ohtani — there’s another two-way player in the American League.
Chicago White Sox third baseman Matt Davidson made his third appearance on the mound Monday night against the New York Yankees and kept his perfect record intact.
Davidson retired the Yankees in the eighth inning, giving up a walk and a hit but getting out of the inning unscathed.
On the season he has pitched three innings in three appearances and has given up one hit and one walk, along with two strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA.
One of those strikeouts was against New York slugger Giancarlo Stanton, whom he caught swinging on a 71 miles per hour curve ball in the dirt Monday night.
Matt Davidson – Position Player
Giancarlo Stanton – Strikeout
Love to see it pic.twitter.com/QTSGzO7z4O— Section 10 Podcast (@Section10Pod) August 7, 2018
Struck out by a third baseman/designated hitter — all Stanton could do was smile.
https://twitter.com/lindseyadler/status/1026664812129005568
“I just wanted to get ahead and get to a good count to throw that pitch (curve ball) multiple timers like I did,” said Davidson after the game. “Luckily, he didn’t hit that hanging one 800 feet.”
Position Player Pitcher Matt Davidson vs. Reigning NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton: Strikeout.
91.6 mph fastball – Foul
91.3 mph fastball – Ball
91.1 mph fastball – Foul
72.4 mph curveball – Foul
71.3 mph curveball – Whiff, K pic.twitter.com/8VkH9xk7Fb— David Adler (@_dadler) August 7, 2018
He also got Brett Gardner to ground out and Gleyber Torres to fly out to right.
He did, however, give up his first hit, to old friend Aaron Hicks, who laced a single off him. Davidson played alongside Hicks in high school in California in a series of high school showcase tournaments. Davidson was a pitcher in high school, too.
Matt Davidson says he wants to send a baseball over to Aaron Hicks to congratulate the Yankees outfielder for getting the first hit off him.
— Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) August 7, 2018
It didn’t much matter as the Yankees won 7-0.
But take nothing away from Davidson, as he has joined some pretty rare company. Only one other player in MLB history has hit more than 15 home runs and made at least three pitching appearances in a season — the other is Babe Ruth.
15+ Home Runs & 3 pitching appearances in a season
American League history2018 Matt Davidson 16 HR, 3 pitching appearances
1919 Babe Ruth 29 HR, 17 pitching appearances2018 Shohei Ohtani is close (11 HR, 9 pitching appearances)
— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) August 7, 2018
That’s right: The Babe made 17 pitching appearances in 1919 and hit 29 homers that year.
Davidson has 16 home runs this year and has made three pitching appearances.
Matt Davidson, on his third (scoreless) appearance as a pitcher. pic.twitter.com/PsA6YanC3G
— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) August 7, 2018
Ohtani is knocking on the door to become the third as he has 11 home runs and nine pitching appearances for the Angels this year.
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