Major League Baseball

A's pitcher Chavez loses game, wins big with quick reflexes

Published May. 7, 2014 4:30 p.m. ET

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Oakland A’s pitcher Jesse Chavez lost the game Tuesday night, but it might have felt like a win.

In the fourth inning, Chavez hurled a pitch toward home plate, only to have it cracked right back at him by Seattle Mariners outfielder Michael Saunders. Somehow, Chavez was able to not only avoid the hard liner headed right for his face, but he caught it to make the out.

There has been much discussion lately about ways to make the game safer for pitchers, including talk of pitching helmets. Perhaps the best way to avoid injury on the mound is to have the superhuman reflexes of Chavez.

Chavez has been an unexpected delight for the A’s, as he’s seemingly come out of nowhere to post a 2.47 ERA and 1.03 WHIP over seven starts. This was the first start in which the A’s were felled by their opponent. But again, I’m sure the entire organization would trade a win for the health and safety of its pitcher.

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