Today’s Lineups

Time to talk some more about long saves. Because last night, Taylor Rashi became the first pitcher in over forty years to start his career off with back-to-back saves of six outs or more. The last to do so was Lance McCullers. And no, not that one, unlike some on Twitter thought. It’s the father of the current Houston Astros pitcher, who has the same name, and made his MLB debut in August 1985. He took over as closer on the Padres from the injured Goose Gossage, and actually began with three such saves, of 2.2, 3.2 and 2.1 innings, His five saves that season covered a total of thirteen innings.

Since the save statistic was invented by journalist Jerome Holtzman in 1959, the only other to match Rashi’s feat was John Urrea on the 1977 Cardinals. He went 2.2 and 2.1 innings

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