If you are not aware, last Friday night the Texas Rangers used eleven pitchers in thirteen innings to defeat the New York Yankees. That tied a major league record held by the 2007 Cardinals and 1992 Mariners.
With expanded rosters, most "pitchers used" records are set in September. Many teams only have eleven or twelve pitchers on their active roster before September and using nearly all of them in one game would put a great strain on a team's rotation and bullpen. That effect is lessened once the active roster expands (the Rangers now have 33 players and 16 pitchers on their active roster) and managers are free to play more matchups as the season winds down. It seems logical that teams in a playoff race (and/or teams managed by Tony La Russa) are even more likely to put all hands on deck in a given game.
After Nelson Cruz hit a walk-off home run (his fifth home run in extra innings), I naturally wondered about the Brewers record for most pitchers in a game. Surprisingly, a lot of non-September games can be found high on the list.
Follow the jump for the list...
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September 18, 1999 at Chicago - 9 pitchers in 14 innings - won 7-4
Jason Bere (5.2 IP), Eric Plunk (0.1), Rafael Roque (0.2), Hector Ramirez (0.0), Mike Myers (0.0), Rocky Coppinger (1.1), Bob Wickman (1), David Weathers (2), Kyle Peterson (3)
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July 19, 1969 vs. Minnesota - 8 pitchers in 18 innings - lost 11-7
Jim Bouton (3.2 IP), John O'Donoghue (1.1), Dick Baney (1), Bob Locker (2), Gene Brabender (7), Marty Pattin (1), John Gelnar (1.1), Garry Roggenburk (0.2)
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May 1, 1993 at Texas - 8 pitchers in 12 innings - won 4-3
Ricky Bones (5 IP), Mike Fetters (2), Jim Austin (0.2), Jesse Orosco (0.1), Doug Henry (1), Carlos Maldonado (0.1), Graeme Lloyd (2.1), Josias Manzanillo (0.1) -
June 30, 2000 vs. Chicago - 8 pitchers in 15 innings - lost 7-4
Jamey Wright (7.1 IP), Curt Leskanic (0.2), Bob Wickman (1), Valerio de los Santos (0.2), David Weathers (1.1), Juan Acevedo (1), Steve Woodard (2), Allen Levrault (1)
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July 5, 2006 vs. Cincinnati - 8 pitchers in 13 innings - won 6-5
Carlos Villanueva (5.1 IP), Jose Capellan (1.2), Brian Shouse (1), Matt Wise (0.2), Derrick Turnbow (1.1), Dan Kolb (1), Rick Helling (1), Geremi Gonzalez (1)
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April 10, 2007 at Florida - 8 pitchers in 13 innings - won 3-2
Claudio Vargas (5 IP), Carlos Villanueva (1.1), Brian Shouse (0.2), Matt Wise (1), Derrick Turnbow (1), Greg Aquino (2), Elmer Dessens (1), Francisco Cordero (1)
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July 31, 2007 vs. New York - 8 pitchers in 13 innings - won 4-2
Jeff Suppan (6.1 IP), Carlos Villanueva (0.2), Derrick Turnbow (1), Francisco Cordero (1), Matt Wise (0), Brian Shouse (0.2), Chris Spurling (2.1), David Bush (1)
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August 5, 2007 vs. Philadelphia - 8 pitchers in 11 innings - lost 8-6
Jeff Suppan (5.2 IP), Brian Shouse (0.1), Carlos Villanueva (1), Scott Linebrink (1), Matt Wise (0), Francisco Cordero (1), Derrick Turnbow (1), Manny Parra (1) -
September 26, 2007 vs. St. Louis - 8 pitchers in 9 innings - lost 7-3
Carlos Villanueva (6 IP), Scott Linebrink (1), Ray King (0.1), Seth McClung (0), Derrick Turnbow (0.1), Brian Shouse (0), Chris Spurling (0.1), Greg Aquino (1)
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April 22, 2008 vs. St. Louis - 8 pitchers in 12 innings - won 9-8
Manny Parra (5 IP), Mitch Stetter (0.1), David Riske (0.2), Brian Shouse (0.2), Salomon Torres (1.1), Eric Gagne (1), Guillermo Mota (2), Seth McClung (1) -
September 9, 2008 vs. Cincinnati - 8 pitchers in 11 innings - lost 5-4
Jeff Suppan (5.1 IP), Carlos Villanueva (1.2), Mitch Stetter (0), Guillermo Mota (0.1), Brian Shouse (1), Salomon Torres (0.2), Eric Gagne (1), Seth McClung (1) -
September 17, 2008 at Chicago - 8 pitchers in 9 innings - won 6-2
Ben Sheets (2 IP), Mark DiFelice (2), Todd Coffey (1), Carlos Villanueva (0.2), Mitch Stetter (0.1), Eric Gagne (1), Guillermo Mota (1), Salomon Torres (1) -
September 25, 2008 vs. Pittsburgh - 8 pitchers in 10 innings - won 5-1
Yovani Gallardo (4 IP), Carlos Villanueva (2), Eric Gagne (1), Guillermo Mota (0.1), Brian Shouse (0.2), Salomon Torres (1), Todd Coffey (0.2), Mitch Stetter (0.1) -
September 8, 2009 vs. St. Louis - 8 pitchers in 9 innings - win 4-3
Manny Parra (1 IP), Carlos Villanueva (3), Mark DiFelice (0.2), Todd Coffey (1), Mitch Stetter (0.1), David Weathers (1), Claudio Vargas (1), Trevor Hoffman (1)
The 2010 Brewers have used seven pitchers in a game five times, most recently on August 28 against Pittsburgh.