Athletics reliever Yusmeiro Petit found out his mother passed away on Monday prior to his team’s game against the Rangers, Martin Gallegos of The Mercury News reports. Petit decided to pitch anyway, turning 1 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball, limiting the Rangers to just one hit.
Manager Bob Melvin said, “I was amazed. Didn’t expect it.”
It’s admirable -- though certainly not expected -- when a player pitches shortly after suffering a personal loss. Some people like adhering to their routine while grieving.
Petit was added to the bereavement list on Tuesday. He will spend some time away from the team for the funeral. We send our heartfelt condolences to the Petit family.
Our thoughts are with Yusmeiro and his family during this difficult time.
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) April 24, 2018