Eduardo Rodriguez made history Saturday night as soon as he took the mound.
The Boston Red Sox left-hander started Game 4 of the World Series a day after coming out of the bullpen in Game 3 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. But even in a Red Sox postseason that’s been defined by pitching on short rest, what Rodriguez did at Dodger Stadium was truly unique.
Check out this note from ESPN’s Sarah Langs:
Eduardo Rodriguez is the 6th pitcher in World Series history to start a game with 0 days of rest after a relief app. The last time it happened was 1924.
Teams to start such a pitcher have lost each of the last 3 straight.
Last time a team won such a game: 1908 WS Game 2, Cubs
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 27, 2018
The name of that pitcher in 1924 was the immortal Firpo Marberry, who pitched 14 big-league seasons with the Washington Senators, Detroit Tigers and New York Giants.
Now, this remarkable stat does come with a caveat: The 25-year-old faced just one batter in Game 3, throwing a grand total of six pitches. So, it’s not like he was rebounding from a Nathan Eovaldi-esque performance.
Still, you can add Rodriguez to the growing list of Red Sox players who have gone above the call of duty this October.
