Are Rookies Ready To Produce In Pennant-Race Pressure?

Several ballclubs have recently called up raw rookies for help in the race to claim a playoff berth. They are hoping to match some historic late-season hot streaks that made instant heroes out of mostly unknowns.

The Los Angeles Angels rushed first-round pick Nolan Schanuel to the majors last week. The first baseman, taken 11th overall in July, helped turn a triple play in his MLB debut. The Angels hope he gives an offensive spark after batting .370 with 15 RBI in just 21 games in the minors.

Rookies put Cincinnati into contention. The Reds went from six games under .500 to 10 games over and the National League Central lead in less than a month. A 12-game win streak got the Reds rolling, sparked by callups Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, Andrew Abbott and Will Benson.

In his first 29 games, De La Cruz hit .328 with 4 homers, 16 RBI and 16 stolen bases. In his first 30 games, McLain batted .328 with 3 homers, 15 RBI. Together, they have played fine defense at shortstop and second base. Benson hit a woeful .050 in April and was sent to the minors. In a 25-game stretch back with Cincinnati from June 6 to July 8, he hit .394 (28-for-71) with 4 homers, 14 RBI.

Abbott began his big-league career on June 5. Eleven days later, he had a 3-0 record without allowing any runs over 17 2/3 innings. He is currently 8-3 with a 2.99 ERA.

The Reds are four games behind Milwaukee, which has been helped by outfielder Sal Frelick. He went 3-for-3 in his MLB debut July 22 and is hitting .250 with 3 homers and 16 RBI. The Brewers are 3 ½ games ahead of the Chicago Cubs, who have been bolstered by right-hander Daniel Palencia. He’s 3-0 in 14 games.

In Los Angeles, the Dodgers lead the NL West despite having eight starting pitchers on the injured list at some point. Walker Buehler was out for the season before it began. Dustin May opened 4-1 then he was lost for the year. Noah Syndergaard, Julio Urias, Clayton Kershaw, Michael Grove and Tony Gonsolin all missed time, too.

Bobby Miller’s 100-mph fastball to the rescue! The rookie has a 7-3 mark in 15 games.

^{The Most Impactful Late-Season Debuts}

All clubs would love to reap rookie rewards like some of the great late-season callups. Two of the best gave Cleveland fans their only two World Series championships.

On August 17, 1920, star shortstop Ray Chapman died after being hit in the head with a pitch. Chapman was batting .303 and had scored 97 runs to help Cleveland to a half-game lead over Chicago and New York in the AL. The team turned to minor-leaguer Joe Sewell and the 21-year-old hit .329 with 12 RBI in 22 games. Cleveland then beat Brooklyn in the World Series. Sewell went on to a Hall of Fame career.

On July 9, 1948, a 41-year-old Negro Leagues legend made his MLB debut for Cleveland. Leroy (Satchel) Paige, denied MLB status for decades because of his color, was signed by owner Bill Veeck. Paige went 6-1 with a 2.48 ERA in 21 games to help Cleveland tie Boston atop the AL. The Indians won a one-game playoff over Boston and then the World Series. Paige is most deservedly in the Hall of Fame, too.

^{One Quick Flirt With Fame}

Other late-season wonders burned out as quickly as they flared.

In 1957, Bob (Hurricane) Hazle blew open a pennant race unlike anybody in history. Called up on July 29, he hit an astounding .403 with 7 homers and 27 RBI in 41 games, boosting Milwaukee to a World Series title. Hazle hit .586 (17-for-29) as the Braves won 10 straight in early August. A year later, he hit .179 in 20 games and was dealt to Detroit.

An astounding late contribution came from 32-year-old rookie Gonzalo Marquez in 1972. Called up by Oakland on August 11, he batted .381 in 26 games – 25 as a pinch-hitter. In the post-season, he went 5-for-8 (.625) all in pinch-hitting assignments as the A’s won it all. He hit only .202 (19-for-94) the next two years and retired.

Six years later, the New York Yankees got amazing post-season play from a rookie who hit .192 without an RBI in 39 regular-season games. Brian Doyle then batted .391 in the post-season, including .438 (7-for-16) in the World Series. In 110 regular games over four years, Doyle batted .161.

Mound Masters

Larry Sherry went from the minors to World Series MVP in 1959. Called up on July 4, he went 7-2 to help Los Angeles tie Milwaukee atop the NL. He worked 7 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to win the first of a two-game playoff sweep of the Braves. Then he went 2-0 with 2 saves and 0.71 ERA in the World Series win.

The Phillies won their first World Series ever in 1980 and claiming the NL East by one game over Montreal likely happened because of Marty Bystrom. He won all five of his starts after being called up in September. His 5-0 record and 1.50 ERA surely made the difference.

Todd Worrell and Jaret Wright almost won it all. For St. Louis in 1985, Worrell was 3-0 with 5 saves in 17 games down the stretch, then 1-0 in four games in the NLCS over Los Angeles before a World Series loss to Kansas City. In 1997, Wright went 8-3 for Cleveland, beat the Yankees twice in the playoffs and won Game 4 of the World Series. He was in line to win Game 7 until the bullpen failed against the upstart Florida Marlins.

In 2002, Francisco Rodriguez worked only 5 2/3 innings after being called up. In the playoffs and World Series, he had a 5-1 record in 18 2/3 innings of relief as the Anaheim Angels won it all.

These recent callups for teams trying to make the playoffs look good: Philadelphia OF Johan Rojas, 29 games, .289, 1 HR, 16 RBI; Tampa Bay SS Oselvis Basabe, 8 games, .303, 1 HR, 8 RBI; Toronto 2B-LF Davis Schneider, 9 games, .367, 3 HR, 6 RBI.

Or maybe somebody yet to get the call will be this year’s Hurricane Hazle.