Dodgers Pitcher Will Klein Left in Awe by Shoutout from Yankees Hall of Famer CC Sabathia
Will Klein's name may have been relatively unknown before the Los Angeles Dodgers' thrilling 18-inning victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, but his heroics will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come. The rookie pitcher entered the game in the 15th inning and kept the defending champions alive with just one hit allowed through the 18th inning.
Klein's incredible performance sparked a deluge of messages from strangers to former coaches, including a heartwarming shoutout from Hall of Fame pitcher CC Sabathia. "Unbelievable performance from Will Klein," Sabathia tweeted. "72 pitches in the World Series extras after never throwing more than 30 ever...4 scoreless innings in a postseason winning debut...October hero salute."
Klein, visibly starstruck, revealed to MLB that he was stunned by Sabathia's message, saying: "And then when I was talking to -- I think it was MLB after the game just, they showed me, like, CC's tweet, and you know, just, like, seeing that was kind of crazy because you grow up watching these guys and now like they're watching you and acknowledging it. So that was really cool to see."
Sabathia's praise highlighted Klein's remarkable endurance, as the rookie had never thrown more than 30 pitches in a single outing before. His previous high was just 36, and he had typically limited himself to two innings in a given game.
In reflecting on his performance, Klein pointed back to his college days, where he would often go until he couldn't throw anymore. "I realized that when I looked around in the bullpen and my name was the only one still there (laughing)," he recalled. It was a mindset that carried over into his MLB debut, as he refused to give up, even with his team trailing.
Klein's contributions ultimately proved decisive, as Freddie Freeman delivered a solo home run in the bottom of the 18th inning to secure the Dodgers' win. The young pitcher's incredible showing will not be soon forgotten, and it's clear that CC Sabathia is right – Klein has indeed earned an "October hero salute."
Will Klein's name may have been relatively unknown before the Los Angeles Dodgers' thrilling 18-inning victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, but his heroics will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come. The rookie pitcher entered the game in the 15th inning and kept the defending champions alive with just one hit allowed through the 18th inning.
Klein's incredible performance sparked a deluge of messages from strangers to former coaches, including a heartwarming shoutout from Hall of Fame pitcher CC Sabathia. "Unbelievable performance from Will Klein," Sabathia tweeted. "72 pitches in the World Series extras after never throwing more than 30 ever...4 scoreless innings in a postseason winning debut...October hero salute."
Klein, visibly starstruck, revealed to MLB that he was stunned by Sabathia's message, saying: "And then when I was talking to -- I think it was MLB after the game just, they showed me, like, CC's tweet, and you know, just, like, seeing that was kind of crazy because you grow up watching these guys and now like they're watching you and acknowledging it. So that was really cool to see."
Sabathia's praise highlighted Klein's remarkable endurance, as the rookie had never thrown more than 30 pitches in a single outing before. His previous high was just 36, and he had typically limited himself to two innings in a given game.
In reflecting on his performance, Klein pointed back to his college days, where he would often go until he couldn't throw anymore. "I realized that when I looked around in the bullpen and my name was the only one still there (laughing)," he recalled. It was a mindset that carried over into his MLB debut, as he refused to give up, even with his team trailing.
Klein's contributions ultimately proved decisive, as Freddie Freeman delivered a solo home run in the bottom of the 18th inning to secure the Dodgers' win. The young pitcher's incredible showing will not be soon forgotten, and it's clear that CC Sabathia is right – Klein has indeed earned an "October hero salute."
. like, 18 innings is nothing new for a team, anyone can hold up at the end of a game. and 72 pitches? that's just crazy... but not in a good way 
. it's like he got lucky, you know? if the Jays' hitters were having an off night, maybe Klein wouldn't've had to throw so many pitches 
. and CC Sabathia's shoutout is cool and all, but let's not forget that it was just a tweet 
. didn't exactly change his life or anything 
.
Every time I try to post a comment, it gets lost in the never-ending thread of spam and self-promotion. Can't we just have a decent discussion without having to sift through 10 pages of irrelevant posts? 
And what's up with the "feature" that shows you how many people are viewing your profile? It's like they're trying to make me feel like I'm some kind of celebrity or something... 
, but come on, 72 pitches in a World Series game? That's just crazy! 
He's gotta be kidding me. And what's with the MLB not having a pitch limit for rookies? Like, how are they gonna prepare him for the big leagues if he's just gonna get thrown into these massive games out of nowhere? 
It's like they're just throwing them in there to see what happens.
he's got the heart of a warrior, just like CC Sabathia said, the dude is an October hero 
. Klein's whole thing about throwing until he couldn't anymore reminds me of when i used to play softball and just go till my arm fell off (not literally though, thankfully). anywayz, gotta give it up for this rookie, he's got the game on lock 
! I mean, 72 pitches in the World Series extras? That's insane 
. And to think he's never thrown more than 30 before... talk about a confidence booster 
. And let's be real, who wouldn't want to go the distance like that? It's moments like these that remind us why baseball is so amazing 
️. Klein's determination and work ethic are truly inspiring 
.
. I mean, 72 pitches in extras? That's insane! And to get praised by CC Sabathia? That's like a dream come true for any young pitcher 
. Klein's got heart and mental toughness for days, it's clear why he's being called an "October hero" 
.
. But, gotta say, I'm a bit surprised by the praise - CC Sabathia's tweet was definitely nice, but let's be real, Klein was getting lit up by Blue Jays batters for most of those 18 innings 
!
He's got heart, man... I mean, 72 pitches in the World Series? That's insane! And to keep his team alive like that? Unbelievable. CC Sabathia's shoutout was just too cool... I'm sure it gave him chills (or should I say, no chill at all, haha). Klein's been working towards this moment for years and it's awesome he gets the recognition. He's a true October hero, no doubt about it! 
especially since he was never even supposed 2 throw more than 30 pitches in a game lol. I feel bad 4 him bc he had 2 work so hard 2 get 2 this point 
. Klein's future is looking so bright 
, can't wait to see what he does next 
CC Sabathia throwing shade with that shoutout tho, but in a good way lol Klein's got some serious sauce now, I'm hyped to see more of him this postseason 
. And what's with the praise from Sabathia? Dude's been around the block, he knows how these games are won and lost. Klein's just riding the wave right now, but we'll see if he can keep it up when the going gets tough 
.
. Good luck with that next time, rookie 
klein's story is so inspiring too, about going until you can't throw anymore in college and carrying that mentality into the pros... i'm totally shipping him to be a future world series hero 
. And yeah, CC Sabathia's shoutout was cool and all, but I'm sure there are other pitchers out there who've worked harder to get where they are