Flashback: Pitcher Brandon Pfaadt Goes Viral for Pregame Ritual Before Sending Team to World Series
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
Even before Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt caught the attention of the sports world by continuing to pitch like a champion, he was going viral for what he did in the dugout.
Pfaadt started for Arizona as the underdog Diamondbacks defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series.
As Arizona’s hitters went to the plate in the top half of the first inning, Pfaadt was photographed reading what appeared to be the Bible.
Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaadt appears to be reading the Bible moments before taking the mound for a winner-take-all Game 7. pic.twitter.com/Y2bDqVnBNh
— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) October 25, 2023
This is by far the most impactful & inspiring thing I’ve seen in a while captured in this picture!
Proud of u Pfaadt 4 ur courage & shining ur light 4 ChristKeep God 1st in ALL u do🙏 #SpeakLife
“Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with man is possible with God.’” -Luke 18:27 https://t.co/IU2w4oithH
— Jonathan Cumpston (@SliderBoys) October 25, 2023
In 2020, as he waited to learn if he would be chosen in the major league draft, he told WRDB-TV how faith fit in during times of stress.
“It weighs on me. There’s a lot of anxiety coming up to this moment. But I think you gotta just keep working hard no matter what, and then whatever happens, happens,” he said then.
“God has a plan, so just keep working hard every single day, and hopefully, your dream will come true.”
Pfaadt got to live his dream as Arizona advanced to the World Series against the Texas Rangers.
(The Rangers beat the Diamondbacks 4-1 to win the championship. Pfaadt took the loss in Texas’ 3-1 victory in Game 3.)
“It feels unreal. It’s like a dream come true. You grow up wanting this moment,” Pfaadt said, according to MLB.com.
“It feels unbelievable. To come up with the guys that I came up with and look them in the face and say that we’re going to the World Series, it feels surreal,” he said.
Pfaadt had struck out 22 batters in four postseason starts, and on Tuesday, he struck out two of the final three batters he faced in a rocky fourth inning to keep the game in reach.
“You expect hiccups for young players,” manager Torey Lovullo said.
“But … he’s just gone out there and learned and grown with good coaching, accepting that. For him to start Game 7, it didn’t faze any of us. We knew he could develop a game plan and go out there and execute it.”
Diamondbacks teammate Zac Gallen praised Pfaadt’s determination.
“To go out there in Game 7 when your back’s against the wall, maybe in one of the more hostile environments in baseball, maybe in all of professional sports, I just think speaks to the character of the guy,” he said.
As reported by Fox News, Catholic schools were a big part of forming Pfaadt’s character.
The Louisville, Kentucky, native attended Trinity High School, a Catholic all-boys school, before attending Bellarmine University, which is a private Catholic college in Louisville.
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