D-Backs catcher James McCann ties MLB record for most games pitched by position player before May

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher James McCann tied an MLB record on Thursday, becoming the first position player to pitch in four games before May.

Alas, since Thursday was the last day of April, he won’t get an opportunity to surpass Christian Bethancourt, who also pitched in four April games for the San Diego Padres in 2017.

Advertisement

McCann threw one inning in the D-Backs’ 13-1 first to the Milwaukee Brewers, allowing one unearned run and one hit with two walks. He got through the eighth inning on a barrage of soft, high-arching “eephus” tosses.

The veteran catcher’s first 22 pitches averaged 36.8 mph with five of them reaching 40 mph. His fourth pitch was clocked at 49.6 mph, but was outside of the strike zone for a leadoff walk to Brice Turang.

However, McCann reared back for his final pitch of the inning, throwing a 65 mph fastball in the lower middle of the zone that Sal Frelick grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. (The Brewers outfielder hit his third homer of the season in the seventh inning, which may have helped him avoid ridicule.)

Advertisement

McCann finished with 24 pitches, 11 of them for strikes. The run he gave up was unearned, due to a throwing error from second baseman Tim Tawa. With no earned runs allowed, McCann lowered his season ERA from 15.00 to 11.25. In his four appearances this season, the catcher has allowed five runs, nine hits and three walks in four innings.

On the bright side for Arizona, infielder Ildemaro Vargas extended his season-opening hit streak to 23 games. That tied him for the second longest hit streak to start a season since 1940, according to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs. Vargas — who has hit in 26 consecutive games — currently leads MLB with a .378 batting average and ranks third with a 1.087 OPS.

Vargas has also made five pitching appearances during his 10 MLB seasons if the D-Backs need another position player in a blowout. But don’t tell Arizona manager Torey Lovullo.

Using McCann to pitch in a blowout rankled Lovullo, who told D-backs.TV’s Todd Walsh (via On SI) after the game that he hates using position players as pitchers.

Advertisement

“”Probably one of my least favorite things in baseball,” Lovullo said.

Yet he went to McCann twice in the past three days — both in games during which the D-Backs gave up 13 runs. Arizona has allowed 10 or more runs in five games this season.

For his career, McCann has a 10.50 ERA in six appearances with no strikeouts and three walks in six innings. His previous two pitching stints were for the Baltimore Orioles, one each during the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Thursday’s defeat dropped the D-Backs to 16-14, good for third place in the National League West. They have lost five of their past nine games.