Baseball Guy: Phillies Pitcher Ricardo Pinto Was Stuck In Traffic All Day, Didn't Get To Field Until 4th Inning Before Picking Up His First Career Save
Mitchell Leff. Getty Images.Ricardo Pinto made his MLB debut with the Phillies in 2017. Since then, he's played in the minors for the White Sox, Rays, Giants and Tigers. He pitched 2 innings for Tampa in 2019. He's played in the Korean league, the Chinese Professional Baseball League, and the Mexican league. And then this winter he signed a deal to return to the Phillies system.
So just for those keeping track at home, that's 2 innings for Tampa in 2019 and then spent the past 5 years playing in 3 different countries. So last night he had his chance to make his first MLB appearance since 2019, but some goddamn asshole who has no idea how to merge almost stole that chance away from him as he was stuck in traffic all day getting to Citizens Bank Park from Rochester.
You know that had to be the most stressful drive of all time. Traffic in general is one of the most infuriating experiences that life has to offer. But being stuck in that shit when you are about to play in the major leagues for the first time in 5 years?
Rochester to Philly is about a 5 and a half hour drive. It was a 6:40 game start last night, and Ricardo Pinto still didn't get to the field until the 4th inning. Dude was crammed up in a Honda Accord all day long sitting in traffic on 81, gets to the field, tosses a few in the tunnel just to get his arm loose, and then takes over on the bump in the 6th inning with the Phils holding onto a 2-1 lead. 7+ hours in a car and now he's making his first MLB appearance in 5 years after running straight from the parking lot.
4 innings. 4 strikeouts. Gives up a run in the 8th inning after a Bohm error. And then 2 runs in the 9th inning after the longest day in commuter history finally starts to catch up to him. With a little help from a Bryce Harper grand slam to put a quick 5 spot up on the board for the Phillies in the 7th, that's enough to earn Ricardo Pinto his first career save. Dude was eating breakfast in Rochester that morning, spent 7 hours in a car, ran from the parking lot onto the field, and pitches a 4-inning save.
That's a dawg.
And dawgs are something this Phillies bullpen is desperately lacking already this season. Ricardo Pinto may have just save the whole damn organization. And I guess Bryce Harper figured out that the bullpen can't piss away a game if you just keep crushing dingers all night long.