It took 1,613 games, but on March 30, 2019, 36-year-old Russell Martin made his Major League debut … as a pitcher.

On that historic day, the East York, Ontario, Canada native and Dodgers 17th-round draft pick in 2002 out of Chipola College in Marianna, FL, Martin entered the game at Dodger Stadium in the top of the ninth inning with his team up 18-5 over the Arizona Diamondbacks. In his pitching debut, the 14-year MLB veteran catcher allowed no runs or hits to the three batters he faced. He made a total of 10 pitches, of which eight were for strikes.

Martin’s next appearance came on June 26, also against the D-backs, at Chase Field with his team down 8-2. In his one inning of work in the bottom of the eighth, Martin faced three batters without allowing a run or hit. He also collected his first career strikeout, with D-backs slugger Christian Walker being the victim. He made eight total pitches, with five being strikes.

On August 13 and with the Dodgers well on their way to winning their seventh consecutive National League West title, Martin appeared in a game against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park in south Florida with his team leading 15-1. Once again, he did not allow a run but finally gave of his first career hit, a first-pitch single to Marlins first baseman and southern California native (Torrance) Garrett Cooper. Cooper was erased, however, on an inning and game-ending 6-4-3 double play, with Dodgers left-handed reliever Adam Kolarek being the 3. Martin made 11 pitches in that one, of which nine were strikes.

Martin’s final relief appearance of the season came on August 27 at Petco Park in San Diego against the NL West last-place Padres with the Dodgers up 9-0. In that one, the 5′-10″ / 215-pound pitching catcher again allowed no runs but gave up a first-pitch double to Padres pinch hitter Ty France to lead off the bottom of the ninth. He then struck out Padres pinch-hitter Austin Allen, got the ever-dangerous Hunter Renfroe to ground out to second, and got Padres catcher Francisco Mejía to pop out to first to end the game on 16 total pitches, of which 10 were strikes.

You certainly do not have to be a Sabermetrics expert to notice that all four of Martin’s relief appearances were in blowout games and in low-leverage situations designed to save Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ bullpen arms for another day. However, it is impossible not to notice that Martin was a very effective reliever, having allowed zero runs and only two hits while walking none and striking out two, to give him a team-best 0.00 ERA, albeit in only 4.0 total innings pitched.

But here’s a thought for you to chew on. What if Roberts had used Martin to pitch the top of the 10th inning of Game-5 of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium instead of beleaguered right-hander Joe Kelly? If you recall, and what Dodger fan doesn’t, Kelly walked Nationals right fielder Adam Eaton, gave up a ground-rule double to third baseman Anthony Rendon, and then intentionally walked Dodger-killer (and everyone else-killer) Juan Soto in hopes of setting up a force at any base, preferably home. Instead, Kelly gave up a devastating season-ending grand slam home run to Nationals second baseman Howie Kendrick.

Oh sure, the likelihood that Roberts would have even considered allowing Martin to pitch in a postseason elimination game is, at best, ludicrous. But ask yourself this: Would he have done any worse than Joe Kelly, who has now eliminated the Dodgers in two consecutive postseasons?

I think not.

Play Ball!

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