Joe Maddon explains why he limited Jeremy Hellickson to four innings in Game 4 – MLB Playoffs
Tampa Bay Rays’ manager Joe Maddon was available for a post-game press address on Tuesday, October 4 when his squad failed to even out the exciting series against the Texas Rangers in Game 4 of the American League Division Series.
The Rays lost their chance to force a Game 5 in the series when they picked up a 4-3 defeat. The manager explained why he took off rookie pitcher Jeremy Hellickson after the fourth inning.
Hellickson went in to his first post-season game in his career and the rookie pitcher had a lot to deal with. The hurler was strong in the regular season with an earned run average of 2.95. The star player was 13-10 in the campaign and he did not concede
two home-runs in more than two games in his 29 starts this year.
The situation however was different on Tuesday. The player went out to the mound to restrict the Rangers. He was on the back foot from the very beginning. Facing Ian Kinsler of the Texas Rangers in the first inning, the pitcher conceded his first home-run
of the game.
Adrian Beltre then came in to hit solo homers in the second and the fourth innings against the rookie pitcher. Standing on three runs allowed from four hits in four innings, Hellickson went back to the dugout after he was replaced with Matt Moore.
"[I] took [Hellickson] out quickly today because he doesn't give up homers like that to righties, so I was a little bit concerned," manager Joe Maddon said. "If the homers came from the lefty, it wouldn't have bothered me as much, but the homer to the righty
bothered me a little bit.”
Hellickson was 4-0 in 10 games, last season. He started four games while appearing in the bull-pen six times. The hurler however has done well this season as he has 29 starts under his belt. His manager had a good idea on what was needed to be done in Game
4, unfortunately things do not always go according plan.
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