The most famous example was the Rays pulling Blake Snell in Game 6 of the 2020 World Series. There's always a reason for these decisions, but it doesn't always work. In fact it goes sideways a lot, but there are also many many examples of leaving starters in one batter too long as well.
Blake Snell, who cruised through five shutout innings against the Dodgers, said he was "disappointed and upset" that he was pulled in the sixth inning of Tuesday night's Series-clinching loss.
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"I regret the decision because it didn't work out," Cash said after the
Los Angeles Dodgers wrapped up their seventh World Series title with a
3-1 win. "But you know, I feel like the thought process was right. ... If we had to do it over again, I would have the utmost confidence in
Nick Anderson to get through that inning."
With the Rays leading 1-0, Snell was throwing arguably his best game of the season. He had struck out nine Dodgers hitters while giving up two hits.
To the dismay of many, Snell's second hit allowed -- to No. 9 hitter
Austin Barnes, with one out in the sixth -- brought Cash to the mound. Cash opted for Anderson, who promptly gave up a double, a game-tying wild pitch and an RBI groundout, putting the Rays behind in the game for the first time, 2-1.
"I am definitely disappointed and upset," Snell said. "I just want the ball. I felt good. I did everything I could to prove my case to stay out there, and then for us to lose, it sucks. I want to win, and I want to win the World Series, and for us to lose, it just sucks.
"I am not going to question him. He's a helluva manager, so I am not going to question him. And I can only look forward to what I am going to accomplish this offseason. But we came up short, and the only thing I can focus on is what I can be better at next year."
Cash said the decision to pull Snell was made because leadoff hitter
Mookie Betts was coming up again, and Cash wanted to avoid having Snell go through the lineup a third time. The next three hitters Snell was due to face -- Betts,
Corey Seager and
Justin Turner -- were 0-for-6 with six strikeouts against him Tuesday.
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged that he was glad Snell was pulled, adding that Betts even looked over at him and smiled.
"I was pretty happy because he was dominating us, and we just weren't seeing him," Roberts said. "We were all kind of excited that Snell was out of the game."
Betts said Snell's removal from the game brought about a "sigh of relief" from the team, and Seager said it "uplifted" the offense.