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Sabathia, Nova diverge on desire to swing bat
- Updated: July 22, 2016
NEW YORK — This season, the average Major League pitcher is hitting .132.
So it almost never comes as a surprise when a National League ballclub elects to use a designated hitter when it visits an American League park, as the Giants will Friday night. But Friday is one of those rare situations that a team is questioned for not factoring its pitcher into the lineup with Giants star Madison Bumgarner and his 13 career home runs on the mound.
Giving Bumgarner at-bats in an AL park isn’t wholly unprecedented; the All-Star hit for himself in Oakland on June 30. But the Giants and manager Bruce Bochy elected against doing so again Friday night, instead allowing Jarrett Parker the opportunity to DH.
Friday night will be Bumgarner’s first start against the Yankees, but to members of the Yankees’ pitching staff, Bumgarner’s reputation is enough to work on. Both Ivan Nova and CC Sabathia explained they are more than aware of Bumgarner’s offensive prowess, and Sabathia went as far as to say he was a little surprised to see the Giants use a DH.
But that’s just about where the two pitchers’ opinions …
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