World Series 2023: Diamondbacks’ Tommy Pham selflessly asked for Jace Peterson to pinch hit in Game 2
Written by CBS SPORTS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on October 30, 2023
In the final moments of Game 2 of the World Series, Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Tommy Pham displayed a truly selfless act. With the Diamondbacks holding a 7-1 lead over the Texas Rangers, Pham asked manager Torey Lovullo to allow teammate Jace Peterson to bat for him in his final at-bat.
“This was to me a true team moment. Tommy Pham knew — I’m sure he knew, because he’s extremely smart and pays attention to some things that you wouldn’t expect a Major League Baseball player to pay attention to — I am guaranteeing you he was aware that he had a chance to get five hits,” Lovullo said.
“He came to me — and I know that he said it, so I’m going to openly say it — he came to me and he said, I need to you get my boy an AB.
“And I said, “Are you sure? 100 percent sure?” And I gave him some contingencies. I said, if it’s 7-1, that’s the only score I’ll allow it to happen. 7-2, lefty-righty, I’m going to reconsider it and I’ll circle back to you. We all know what happened.”
Up to that point, Pham had went 4-for-4 with a pair of runs scored prior to what would’ve been his fifth at-bat, but he wanted Peterson to get a chance to have an at-bat in a World Series game.
“We’re boys,” Pham said. “I wanted to do this for him.”
Peterson stated that he didn’t know that Pham had a chance at history.
“If I would have known that, I probably would have said, ‘No, you’re going to chase this record,’” Peterson said.
“He told me, ‘Get ready, I’m going to give you this last one,’” Peterson said regarding the moment. “I think more guys than you think would do it. I’m sure there are some guys out there that would want that record, but I would say the majority of guys would do it, especially in this clubhouse.
“It was awesome to get in there and get an at-bat.”
The Diamondbacks ended up cruising to a 9-1 win in Game 2 to even the World Series at a game apiece. Even if Peterson doesn’t get a chance to play again this series, now he can say he batted in a World Series game.
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