Phillies

Dick Pinto Didn’t Get to the Bank Until the 4th Inning and then Delivered the Season’s Best Relief Appearance

By Kyle Pagan

Published: Apr 3rd, 2024 · 10:23 AM EDT

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The best story from Tuesday night wasn’t even Bryce hitting three home runs. It was Dick Pinto being in Rochester with the Iron Pigs, not showing up to the game until the 4th inning because he was stuck in traffic, and throwing a 74 pitch gem in relief:

The Phillies sent a car at noon for Ricardo Pinto, who was in Rochester, N.Y. with the IronPigs. He got stuck in traffic and did not arrive until the fourth inning. He said hello to Rob Thomson, then went to the bullpen. He pitched four innings for the save.

— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) April 3, 2024

The story of Ricardo Pinto’s day is wild 🤯

He didn’t get to the game until the fourth inning due to traffic from Rochester, New York! Then threw four strong innings for the Phillies. pic.twitter.com/edxdRdbPO2

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 3, 2024

Where were you when Dick Pinto and Spencer Turnbull saved the season? It’s going to be amazing when the traffic jam game is featured in the first five minutes of the 2024 Phillies Yearbook.

I feel like this kind of story only happens in baseball. Guy that has pitched in MLB for five years is in some remote part of town. The team needs a last-second arm so he’s sent on a five-hour drive in a cramped car, only to get there in the middle of the game and pitch lights out. The coolest thing is if the weather didn’t cooperate he would’ve never been added to the roster, according to Matt Gelb at The Athletic (with ads). Sounds like an alternate plot to The Rookie with Dennis Quaid. Call me crazy, but I think Dick Pinto deserved some share of the Chevrolet Player of the Game.

The nerds have to be thanking their lucky stars Pinto got there in time:

(via FanGraphs)

It feels like we need a Dick Pinto giveaway day at the ballpark. Kids 14 and under get a replica of the Dick Pinto: