The LA Dodgers surrendered early by putting a position player on the mound in the sixth inning. Due to the string of injuries to starting pitchers, they had no choice but to play a 'throwaway game,' which resulted in the sacrifice of a pitcher who allowed 9 runs on 111 pitches.

The Dodgers lost 1-11 in an away game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego, California, on Nov. 11 (Korean time). While the offense left 11 runners on base was disappointing, the collapse of the pitching staff was the decisive factor. Utility player Kiké Hernández was brought in as a pitcher starting in the sixth inning and pitched until the end of the game.

On that day, the Dodgers had a gap in their starting rotation. With Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow (both with shoulder inflammation), Sasaki Roki (shoulder collision), and Tony Gonsolin (elbow discomfort) all listed on the injured list, relief pitcher Lou Trevino started as the opener.

Trevino shut down the first inning without allowing any runs, but the Dodgers began the second inning with right-handed pitcher Matt Sauer as a 'bulk guy.' Sauer, who was called up ahead of this game after starting 5 games in the Dodgers' Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, was brought in.

While Sauer pitched the second inning without allowing a run, he allowed three consecutive run-scoring hits after issuing a walk following two outs in the third inning, resulting in 3 runs scored against him. After giving up 1 run each in the 4th and 5th innings, Sauer was unable to last through the 6th inning. He allowed a solo home run to Martín Maldonado right at the start of the inning and gave up consecutive hits, putting runners on base. Faced with a crisis that followed a walk and a wild pitch, he allowed a two-RBI base hit to Xander Bogaerts, making the score 0-9, and he was ultimately pulled from the game.

In 4⅔ innings, he allowed 13 hits (including 1 home run), issued 3 walks, struck out 6, and allowed 9 runs. Having thrown a whopping 111 pitches, it was no longer feasible for him to stay on the mound. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts walked to the mound to signal a pitching change, and position player Kiké Hernández stepped in.

Hernández took the place of designated hitter Shohei Ohtani. Pulling Ohtani, who had 1 hit in 3 at-bats, in the 6th inning eliminated the designated hitter spot for the Dodgers, leading them to surrender early.

Since 2023, Major League Baseball has imposed restrictions on position players pitching. A team that is ahead may use a position player as a pitcher in the 9th inning when leading by 10 or more runs, while a team trailing by 8 or more runs may use a position player only when behind by 8 or more runs. With the score surpassing an 8-run margin, manager Roberts, as if waiting for this moment, removed Sauer and inserted Hernández.

According to local media outlets including SportsNet LA, after the game, manager Roberts said, "From the moment the score gap widened early on, I thought we needed to save the bullpen. We had to plan for our bullpen situation and the upcoming days. I didn’t think it was wise to overextend our bullpen pitchers," and added, "We have to acknowledge Sauer's performance. He sacrificed himself by throwing the most pitches this season and helped the team."

Roberts further explained, "Sauer understands his role and the flow of the game. If we had taken the lead early, we would have used our best relievers to win, but since we didn’t, Sauer had to pitch as long as possible. It’s not pleasant to use a position player as a pitcher in the 6th inning. However, it doesn’t make sense to use a pitcher like Michael Kopech in the 6th inning when we are down by 6 or 7 runs and then not be able to use him tomorrow. We did our best within the regulations and prepared for tomorrow’s game. We have a chance to win the series.” With the bullpen preserved, they could mobilize their strongest relievers for the final game of the three-game series against San Diego on the 12th.

Sauer stated, "When pitching after the opener, I have to take responsibility for as many innings as possible. My stuff wasn’t great today, but I competed as hard as I could. I tried to pitch as long as possible for our bullpen. I regret the walk after two outs in the 3rd inning the most. If I hadn’t issued that walk, I wouldn’t have crumbled so badly."

From a team perspective, we needed a pitcher who could make such sacrifices. During last year’s World Series championship process, the Dodgers definitely discarded games when necessary, applying a strategy of choice and concentration, and on this day, Sauer played that role. In response, Sauer remarked, "This is my role. I have the ability to do that, and I will always throw my best."

Like Sauer, Kiké Hernández also struggled. He threw only one fastball at a speed of 85.4 mph (137.4 km/h) and faced batters with a minimum speed of 43.4 mph (69.8 km/h) slow curve (19 times) and ephus (16 times), enduring until the last inning of the 8th. Though he threw slow pitches with a clumsy form, the unique angle at which they dropped made it difficult for San Diego’s batters. Hernández allowed 3 hits and 2 walks while giving up 2 runs (1 earned) in 2⅓ innings, which helped the Dodgers conserve their bullpen. His appearance as a pitcher was the 8th time in his career, with 2⅓ innings and 36 pitches being a personal high.

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