Astros’ pitching scheme fails to fluster Red Sox in Game 2 of ALCS

Were the Astros trying to get in the Red Sox’ heads with a lengthy pitching change in Game 2 of the ALCS?

The Houston Astros tried to fluster their opponents early in Game 2 of the ALCS, but it didn’t faze the Red Sox.

After Astros starter Luis Garcia gave up a grand slam to JD Martinez in the first inning and walked the leadoff batter in the second, manager Dusty Baker pulled him, supposedly because of injury. Baker then called for fellow starter Jake Odorizzi, who had yet to pitch in the postseason.

What followed was a slow and tedious warm-up period for Odorizzi. Whereas a normal pitching change is 2:55 during postseason games, a pitcher replacement due to injury is not subject to said limit. Since Garcia was supposedly hurt, Odorizzi was allowed as much time as he needed. According to Jeff Passan, Odorizzi warmed up for approximately 13 minutes.

“Should a pitcher enter the game to replace one who was removed due to an injury or another emergency situation, he is granted as many warmup pitches as the umpire allows.”MLB’s Rules on Substitution

Baker might have thought the prolonged wait would stall the Red Sox’ offensive momentum and cool down their ace, Nathan Eovaldi, who ultimately waited 41 minutes in between his first-inning and second-inning action.

The gambit failed; Odorizzi loaded the bases for Rafael Devers, who promptly hit the second grand slam in as many innings. No team had ever hit two slams in one postseason game before.

In the fourth inning, Kiké Hernández hit his fifth home run in five games, a new Red Sox postseason record. In doing so, he also tied David Ortiz’s single postseason record set in 2004 and 2013.

So, is Garcia really hurt, or was it a stalling tactic? It certainly feels like the latter. Bruised ego and ineffectiveness aren’t physical injuries.

But if Garcia really is injured, MLB will have to approve the Astros replacing him on the roster. However, in doing so, he’ll be ineligible for the potential World Series roster as well.

The Astros used eight pitchers in Game 1, and four pitchers through the first seven innings of Game 2. They’re also without Lance McCullers Jr. for this series and don’t really have any viable replacements waiting in the wings. It’s hard to gauge what would hurt the Astros more, the absence of Garcia, or the pitcher himself.