Braves legend demands rule change after Kike Hernandez pitches for Dodgers against Padres

The Los Angeles Dodgers once again used position player Kike Hernandez to pitch in the blowout game to save their bullpen for the next day and one particular Braves legend isn't happy with this, calling it flat-out “embarrassing.”

A couple of games back, Hernandez came in relief in the sixth inning with the San Diego Padres leading the game 9-0. He threw what Ben Verlander called "lollipops" during his 2.1 innings in which he allowed one earned run. In the following game, the well-rested Dodgers bullpen won the series with a 5-2 win in the finale.

It's not the first time Hernandez has been asked to pitch in a blowout game. He has done it before, and with teams using their position players to get through games, Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz feels bothered.

"I think it’s the most embarrassing thing in sports," Smoltz told Verlander on Flippin Bats podcast (8:45 onwards). "I think, with the reality of all the smart people thinking pitching, bullpenning, bullpenning… and we’ve had more position players pitch in baseball games than ever before. What does that tell you? It’s the most embarrassing thing there is. I think every once in a while you can say it’s cute, the fans kind of get on it."

With the frequency of position players being asked to pitch increasing, Smoltz wants the Commissioner's Office to do something about it.

"But when we’re having it at this alarming rate, I think baseball needs to do something about it," Smoltz said. "I know they’ve made a rule about when you can use that person, but you know what? At some point, people keep talking about, 'Well, let’s just have a mercy rule.' What are we doing?"

The MLB has made efforts to curtail the use of position players on the mound, but exceptions still exist.

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Kike Hernandez makes MLB history after pitching 2.1 innings vs Padres

Kike Hernandez is a hitter but it will be his pitching that stands out in MLB history.

According to Jeff Praught on X, Hernandez's 2.1 innings against the Padres were the most any position player has thrown in major league history.

After that outing, Kike Hernandez has now pitched eight times in his career, throwing nine innings for six earned runs on 12 hits and four walks.