The Chicago Cubs found themselves trailing the Cincinnati Reds 15-5 entering the eighth inning of Thursday's game. So with the game already out of hand, the Cubs sent shortstop Andrelton Simmons to the mound to pitch the frame in an effort to not tax their bullpen.
After Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson led off the inning on a single, shortstop Kyle Farmer came up and produced one of the more shocking moments of the game. Simmons led off the at-bat by tossing a 44 mph "fastball."
Farmer swung and missed.
Farmer ultimately ended up singling two pitches later on a 47 mph pitch, but the story of Simmons' appearance is that he got a hitter to completely whiff on such a slow pitch
The Reds got the last laugh and added five more runs in the eighth inning, which was highlighted by a two-run double courtesy of third baseman Brandon Drury. Farmer did cross the plate thanks to a sacrifice fly from infielder Matt Reynolds.
In total, Simmons tossed 17 pitches in the 40 mph range in the inning, with his slowest topping out at just 39 mph. That pitch ironically was the one that Reynolds hit a sacrifice fly on to score Farmer. His fastest pitch was 77 mph, which came on the ensuing pitch after the 44 mph swing-and-miss from Farmer.
When it was all said and done, the Reds ended up coming away with a lopsided 20-5 win.