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Travis Bazzana's MLB debut had the weirdest ending for the Guardians
TL;DR
Travis Bazzana made his MLB debut with the Cleveland Guardians against the Tampa Bay Rays, but the game ended in an unexpected manner. Despite a promising setup in the bottom of the ninth, the Guardians fell short.
Key points
- Travis Bazzana made his MLB debut for the Cleveland Guardians
- The Guardians were trailing the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0
- Bazzana had family in attendance from Australia
- He had previously struck out, flown out, and walked in the game
- The game ended unexpectedly despite a late opportunity
Cleveland GuardiansTampa Bay RaysTravis BazzanaAngel Martinez
Travis Bazzana's MLB debut had the weirdest ending for the Guardians originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The script set up perfectly.
The Cleveland Guardians trailed the Tampa Bay Rays, 1-0, and Angel Martinez doubled with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. In stepped Travis Bazzana, the former No. 1 overall pick making his MLB debut.
Bazzana's family was in town from Australia. A whole ballpark rose to its feet in anticipation.
Up to that point, Bazzana had struck out, flown out to left-center, and walked. This was his chance at a heroic ending to his first major league game.
He went ahead in the count 2-0, and that's when things got weird.
Instead of continuing to pitch to Bazzana, the Rays held up four fingers and put him on first base with an intentional walk.
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It was the kind of move that teams rarely, rarely make. It put the walk-off run on first base, rather than in the batter's box.
Bazzana isn't known as a slugger, either. He has some pop, but the odds of him hitting a walk-off homer weren't that high, even if the stage seemed set for it.
Rays manager Kevin Cash decided to avoid that potential outcome, although it could've backfired in a major way if pinch-hitter George Valera followed up with any damage.
But Valera struck out, and that meant Cash's decision worked out.
Q&A
What happened during Travis Bazzana's MLB debut?
Travis Bazzana's MLB debut ended unexpectedly as the Cleveland Guardians lost to the Tampa Bay Rays despite a late-game opportunity.
Who is Travis Bazzana and why was his debut significant?
Travis Bazzana is a former No. 1 overall pick, and his debut was significant as it marked his first appearance in Major League Baseball with the Guardians.
What was the score when Travis Bazzana came to bat in his debut?
The score was 1-0 in favor of the Tampa Bay Rays when Travis Bazzana came to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning.
