Red Sox Minor Leaguer Had Unusual Plate Appearance Sunday

The sun was shining, and the temperature was hot for the contest between the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox and Buffalo Bisons on Sunday. The home team won in a 12-10 slugfest that took three hours and 34 minutes.

Fans in attendance, trying to stay cool, were thrilled about the implementation of the pitch clock, because the game could have taken even longer thanks to one peculiar plate appearance.

In the bottom of the third inning, Nick Sogard stepped to the plate against Bisons pitcher Lazaro Estrada. He quickly found himself in a 1-2 count. After the second strike, Sogard fouled off five of the next seven pitches to work the count full. At 3-2, the switch hitter continued to fight. He fouled off another eight pitches before taking a ball in the dirt for ball four.

The entire plate-appearance lasted 19 pitches.

The plate appearance took place in Triple-A, so it doesn’t qualify for any major league records. If it did, it may be the longest plate appearance in which the hitter reached base. Brandon Belt worked a 21-pitch at-bat in 2018, but ultimately flew out.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora is also high on the list. In 2004, Cora saw 18 pitches, homering off Matt Clement to cap off the meeting.

Second base defense was an issue for the Red Sox against the San Francisco Giants. Sogard could be called upon to man the position. The bat-to-ball skills he flexed on Sunday could help a lineup that’s near the top of the league in strikeout rate.