On May 1, in Baseball Roundtable’s April Update, I shared an upbeat story of perseverance – Giants’ OF Jason Krizan’s first major-league game (April 20), coming in his 12th professional season and after more than 1,000 minor-league appearances. (For the full April Wrap up of Players and Pitchers of the Month, plus stats and stories that caught Baseball Roundtable’s eye, click here.) I’m glad to report that on May 1, in his third MLB game, Krizan recorded his first MLB base hit.
In this post, I’d like to preview another feel-good story of perseverance – one that I hope will become reality during this MLB season. It’s the story of a one-time top MLB prospect who (in a professional career that began in 2008) has suffered a myriad of injuries (at least a dozen trips to the DL), pitched through perhaps the worst inning for an MLB hurler ever, took the mound for teams from the minor leagues to the major leagues and from the Mexican League to the Chinese Professional Baseball League – and is still pursuing the dream. The player’s name is Manny Banuelos. He’s a 31-year-old southpaw, who had a solid Spring Training and is currently pitching for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in the Yankees’ system.
Why focus on Banuelos today? Because it is the third anniversary of the day he set the MLB record for consecutive hits given up in a game by a single pitcher.
On May 2019, Manny Banuelos, pitching for the White Sox (versus the Red Sox) in Chicago – in a span of 32 pitches and ten batters – gave up four singles, three doubles and three home runs.
We’ll look at that inning in detail in a bit, but first let’s look at how Banuelos got there – and to where he is today.
In 2008, at age 17, Banuelos signed with the Yankees (out of Gomez, Palacio, Mexico). He showed solid potential (including a high-velocity, high-movement fastball) from the get-go: 4-1, 2.57 in Rookie-Level ball in 2008 and then 9-5, 2.64 at A- and High-A in 2009 – earning a sport in the 2009 All Star Futures game.
In 2010, Banuelos spent some time on the DL after an appendectomy, and ended up going 0-4, but with a promising 2.51 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings (at three levels in the Yankees’ system). After the season, he was rated among the top five prospects in the Yankee system (Baseball America) and was among the top prospects selected to play in the Arizona Fall League.
In 2011, the 20-year-old Banuelos was in Spring Training with the Yankees, and was recognized with the Jams P. Dawson Award as the best rookie in camp. He was considered one of the Yankees “Killer B’s” – Banuelos, Andrew Backman and Dellin Betances – a trio of young pitchers the Yankees felt had bright futures ahead.
Banuelos began the 2011 season as Double-A Trenton and was promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in August. He put up a 6-7, 3.75 record, fanning 125 batters in 129 2/3 innings. Then, in 2012, his season was shortened by arm issues ( 0-2, 4.50 ) – which led to Tommy John Surgery, forcing him to miss the entire 2013 season. Banuelos came in back in 2014, pitching at High-A, Double-A and Triple-A , as he worked his way back from surgery (2-3, 4.11 in 26 games/25 starts).
In January 2015, Banuelos was traded to the Braves. He took the mound for the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves, where a 6-2, 2.23 record earned him a July call up. In his first two MLB starts, he went 1-0, 0.82 and fanned eight batters in 11 frames. He pitched in five games that month (four starts), going 1-2, 2.49 before being benched by bone spurs i(elbow) that eventually required surgery. He came back in September, but lasted just 4 2/3 innings in two starts (nine earned runs).
In 2016, still in the Braves’ system, Banuelos struggled to an 0-5, 5.33 record at three levels – and was released by the Braves. He signed a minor-league deal with the Angels and pitched at Triple-A Salt Lake City in 2017 (5-6, 4.93), as well as in the Mexican Pacific Winter League.
In 2018, he seemed to bounce back. After signing a minor-league deal with the Dodgers, Banuelos went 9-7, 3.73 (with 127 strikeouts in 108 2/3 innings) for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers and was selected to the Pacific Coast League All Star Team.
Then, in November 2018, the Dodgers traded him to the White Sox and Chicago kept him on the squad after Spring Training. In his first four appearances (March 30—April 15), all in relief, Banuelos went 1-0, 3.48, with nine strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings. That earned him a starting shot and, in his first two starts, he picked up one win and gave up just two runs, fanning 10 in 9 2/3 frames.
That brought him to his, unfortunately, record-setting May 4, 2019 start against the Red Sox in Chicago. It started out well enough, He retired the first eight batters he faced on 29 pitches (three strikeouts). His next 32 pitches produced the following results:
- C Christian Vazquez – Single
- CF Andrew Benintendi – Single, Vazquez to second
- RF Mookie Betts – Two-run double
- DH J.D. Martinez – RBI double
- SS Xander Bogaerts – Two-run home run
- 1B Michael Chavis – Solo Home run
- 3B Rafael Devers – Double
- LF Steve Pearce – RBI single, Devers to second
- 2B Eduardo Nunez – Two-run home run
- Vazquez – Single
At this point, Carson Fulmer replaced Banuelos on the mound – and Banuelos left having given up nine earned runs in the inning – and having set the MLB record for most consecutive hits given up by a pitcher in a game. Notably, Banuelos pitched in five more games in May – going 1-3, 9,17, giving up 18 runs in 17 2/3 innings. One wonders if there were some underlying issues since, by mid-June, Banuelos was on the DL (shoulder) and did not pitch for the White Sox June 15-September 2. He ended the season 3-4, 6.93.
Banuelos opted for free agency after the 2019 season, signed a minor-league deal with the Mariners, was released in May and ended up finishing 2020 with the Guardians – the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League – where he put up a 6-3, 2.60 record, fanning 62 in 52 innings.
In 2021, Banuelos again pitched for Fubon, as well as for Monterrey in the Mexican League and Culiacan in the Mexican Pacific Winter League – before signing a minor-league deal for 2022 with the Yankees.
Banuelos, now 31-years-old, had a solid 2022 Spring Training with the Yankees – pitching 9 1/3 innings to a 2.89 ERA, with nine strikeouts. While, he didn’t make the Yankees Opening Day Roster, he’s pitching well at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, with (as this is being written) a 2.16 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings over four appearances. I, for one, am hoping to see him on the Yankee mound sometime this season, especially when I see Banuelos’ quotes like this (from a March article in the New York Daily News):
“I’m glad to be back. Honestly. It’s very special … I’m enjoying every day I come here to the ballpark. … It’s been like ten years since my first Spring Training and I’m enjoying everything I do here. I already said I’m grateful to the Yankees for giving me the opportunity to come back. That’s what I want. I want to take advantage, I want to show them I have something left.”
Now, how can you not root for that guy?
Primary Resources: Baseball-Refeence.com; NationalPastime.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; “White Sox’s Manny Banuelos leaves loss to Indians with injury,” Scot Gregor, Daily Herald Media Group, May 15, 2019; “Ex-Killer B Manny Banuelos returns to the Yankees a decade later armed with experience, perspective,” Kristie Ackert, New York Daily News, March 31,2022
BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE ON THE TOP 100 BASEBALL BLOG LIST
Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. To see the full list, click here.
I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT
Follow/Like Baseball Roundtable’s Facebook Page here. More baseball commentary; blog post notifications; PRIZES.
Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); The Baseball Reliquary; The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
