When a National League team goes on the road to face an American League team in Interleague Play, one of the easiest decisions is to use a designated hitter in place of the pitcher’s spot. The Giants broke that mold. Instead of swapping in a position player, Giants manager Bruce Bochy opted to let Madison Bumgarner bat for himself. Bumgarner came through.
The Giants declined using a DH and Madison Bumgarner made it look like a great move
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
This is why the @SFGiants don't use a DH: https://t.co/lIZcmoCnA5 #PitchersWhoRakehttps://t.co/6xfTADZHsm
— MLB (@MLB) July 1, 2016
Bumgarner is a great hitter for being a pitcher, but he’s hardly a great hitter when compared to the standard designated hitter. For his career he’s batted .182/.226/.305. But, he wasted no time making Bochy’s move pay off, ripping a ball into the gap that turned into a double.
The move is nearly an unprecedented one. The Giants became the first team since 1976 to decline the option of using a designated hitter and instead let a pitcher bat. The Yankees used pitcher Rick Rhoden as the designated hitter in 1988, but he didn’t pitch in the game. Maybe Bumgarner can handle the DH duties on the next AL road trip.
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