Ambidextrous pitcher makes MLB debut

Oakland Athletics pitcher Pat Venditte has made his MLB debut pitching with both arms. Photo / Getty Images

Oakland's Pat Venditte became the first player in 20 years to pitch with both hands during the same Major League Baseball game, as he made an impressive debut appearance in Saturday's game at Boston.

The entered the game at the start of the seventh inning.

To his first batter, left-handed Brock Holt, Venditte pitched left-handed, and got him on a ground out.

He then switched his specially-made two-thumbed glove onto his left hand and pitched right-handed to Hanley Ramirez, who hit a single on the second pitch. Then, still pitching with his right arm, he got Mike Napoli to ground into an inning-ending double play. Then Venditte pitched a perfect eighth inning.

Although the Athletics lost the game 4-2, it was a satisfying personal performance for a man who had spent more than seven years in the minor leagues waiting for his chance on the big stage.

"The most special thing is being here," Venditte said. "It's been such a long journey."

He may be regarded as novelty or oddity by same fans, but Oakland manager Bob Melvin said he earned his call-up.

"There's a little bit of a sideshow to it for good reason," Melvin said. "But the reason he's here is because he's performed."

Venditte took the mound to the song "Both Sides, Now," written by Joni Mitchell.

"That was truly amazing," Boston manager John Farrell said. "It's a remarkable thing to see what one person's body is capable of doing. The coordination ... even guys in the dugout were kind of marveling."

Venditte's goal is to help the team win. And if his uniqueness stands out, he doesn't mind.

"Whatever attention comes with it is fine, but we're here to win games," he said. "It doesn't matter if I'm pitching with both hands or one. It's one effort."

In 17 outings in the minor leagues this season, 16 in relief, Venditte had a miserly 1.36 ERA and held opponents to a .167 batting average. In eight minor league seasons, the first seven in the New York Yankees organization, he has a 2.37 ERA.

The last time a pitcher threw with both hands in a major league game was on Sept. 28, 1995, when Greg A. Harris did it with the Montreal Expos.

Oakland catcher Stephen Vogt batted against Venditte in the minors about five years ago.

"It's a sight to see and he's very good both ways," Vogt said. "When we signed him I was excited because I want to see what it's like to catch a guy like that. He's kind of got the same stuff from both sides. So whether it's a right-handed hitter or a left-handed hitter, you call the game accordingly. It's fun to see."

Venditte has the matchup edge, throwing left-handed to lefties and right-handed to righties, except when he's facing a switch-hitter. In that case, the rule states he must decide which arm he's throwing with and the batter adjusts to that. He rarely changes throwing arms within the same at-bat.

"It's a little bit of a novelty," Melvin said. "You're curious to see if this really is functional, and all he did in spring training is perform for us. He only had one or two outings where he even gave up runs and he's been doing the same thing in Triple-A."

The 29-year-old Venditte was three when he began using both hands. He's a natural right-hander, so he worked hard to become effective from the left side.

"I can't even fathom how somebody can do that," Melvin said. "It's tough enough to perform at this level throwing on one side, let alone two."

-AP