University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Ryan Dull Sets Major League Record
07.06.2016 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Ryan Dull entered the A's game at the Minnesota Twins on Monday afternoon and did what he's done all season – get the team out of a jam.
Except this time it was different.
The UNC Asheville product stranded inherited runners No. 35 and 36 against the Twins on Monday, and has not allowed an inherited runner to score all season. Dull's 36-for-36 is the longest at any point in a season since at least 1961, topping Frank Francisco's mark of 35 in 2007. Complete records don't go back further, so it is, in essence, the longest known streak of success with inherited runners.
Also, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, Dull's streak of 36 inherited runners stranded is the longest by any major league reliever to start a season in the expansion era.
“I don't even know what to say about that,” A's manager Bob Melvin said to reporters earlier this week. “I'd buy him a drink, but I don't know that he's old enough.”
Melvin has also called the streak “just amazing” and said it was “past the point where you're knocking on wood.”
Dull, 26, is in his first full season in the Major Leagues, earning a spot on the A's Opening Day roster after a terrific audition last September when he was called up to the big leagues and became just the third UNC Asheville alum, and first pitcher, to reach the Major Leagues.
Opponents are batting .075 against him with men on base and have only one hit in 47 at-bats with a runner in scoring position. Dating back to last September, Dull has inherited a combined 39 base runners and allowed just one to score (last season).
Overall, Dull has appeared in 38 games this season entering Tuesday night's contest, compiling a 2-2 record and a 2.11 ERA in 42.2 total innings of work. He has struck out 45 batters and opponents have an overall batting average of just .150 against him.
His body of work this season has Dull being talked about as one of Oakland's All-Star Game representatives.
The rosters for the All-Star Game (July 12) were announced on Tuesday night, and while left out initially, Dull has the opportunity to earn a spot as a replacement for an injured player.
A's catcher Stephen Vogt was named Oakland's lone All-Star representative, but he is among those campaigning for Dull.
“I honestly think had Ryan been named I would have been more excited than when I got the news I was going,” Vogt said to reporters. “That kid is having an All-Star year. To me, inherited runners is probably the No. 1 stat, outside of saves if you're one of the 30 closers in baseball. Inherited runners is the most important reliever stat and obviously he's the best, not only this year, but probably ever.”
Dull had been considered the team's top candidate, particularly after his new inherited runners Major League record. With Royals All-Star closer Wade Davis going on the DL on Tuesday, Dull would be the obvious choice to replace him.
“It's been unbelievable,” fellow A's reliever Sean Doolittle said of Dull's season earlier this week. “It's one of those things, man, like most things that happen with relievers, it gets swept under the rug and doesn't get talked about. But that's one of the most impressive things going on this year, I think, in the entire American League.”
