“It’s probably the worst situation you can come in as a starting pitcher,” he said, adding later, “Usually takes me 30-plus minutes, and I think I did it in under 15. So not ideal, and it’s not like it’s a fun warm-up. You’re sitting there pretty much naked in front of the other team. They get to watch every single pitch you’re throwing.”
When Odorizzi was ready to pitch, the game was nearly an hour old but still only in the top of the second inning, and there were no outs. He quickly ran into the same problem as Garcia. Red Sox second baseman Christian Arroyo and Hernandez both singled, loading the bases. And when Odorizzi threw a cutter inside, Devers clubbed the ball down the right field line, despite a sore right elbow that bothered him later in the game.
Watching to see if the ball stayed fair, Devers held the bat in his hands while standing at home plate. When it did, he jogged, spun toward his teammates and tossed his bat to the side. In the dugout, the merriment continued with the laundry cart.