The Los Angeles Dodgers have spent much of the season playing with a short — four-man — bench. They took it to extreme measures for three games last week by carrying an extra reliever, which left three players on the bench.
The issue was mitigated prior to the series opener against the San Francisco Giants, with Kyle Farmer receiving the call from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Farmer was added to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster last fall but had yet to make his MLB debut.
That moment came in Farmer’s third game with the team. He was the last player off the bench, used as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the 11th in the series finale against the Giants.
Farmer stepped to the plate with one out and the winning runs on base. He fell behind in the count 0-2, worked it full, and shot a walk-off, two-run double down the right field line.
“That was a pretty cool moment for me and the team. I’m just glad I was in that situation to do it and help the team win,” Farmer said after the Dodgers’ 3-2 win. “It was a lot of fun.”
He’s the first Dodgers player since Darren Dreifort on May 27, 1994, for his first career hit be of the walk-off variety. Farmer became the first player in Dodgers franchise history with a walk-off RBI in his first career plate appearance.
“It was pretty surreal,” Farmer said. “Being my first at-bat and being able to help this team beat the Giants is a pretty cool feeling.” He was immediately mobbed by teammates, with Alex Wood leading the charge.
Farmer and Wood were roommates at the University of Georgia. “I saw Wood running at me full speed, and I didn’t really know what he was going to do,” Farmer said. “And then all of a sudden he tackled me, so that’s probably the best hit he’s had on me in a couple years.”
Dodgers coaches and manager Dave Roberts quickly joined in on the celebration, with Roberts forcing his way into the middle of the pile to congratulate the rookie on his accomplishment. Farmer emerged with his jersey ripped open but wearing a smile on his face.
Farmer’s mother, father, fianceé, sister and best friend all missed their flight to remain in attendance. “Kyle’s going to remember that for a long time, forever,” Roberts said.
“For his family to be here, to get the field stormed on by his teammates, coaches, manager. It was something that was just so special. I think the players felt his excitement.”
Now Farmer gets to make a triumphant return to Atlanta as a hometown hero, with the Dodgers scheduled to begin a three-game series against the Braves on Tuesday.
