Jewish pitchers Kremer and Fried have rare off days

In one of the most unusual seasons in Major League Baseball history, a rare occurrence took place this week, as two Jewish pitchers were simultaneously started for their respective teams.

Baltimore Orioles phenom Dean Kremer, coming off three impressive outings against the playoff- bound New York Yankees ( twice) and Tampa Bay Rays, took the mound at tradition- rich Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox for his final start of 2020.

Meanwhile, in Atlanta, Cy Young candidate Max Fried got the nod in what should have been a tune- up for his planned start in the Braves’ postseason opener next week.

Both hurlers entered their respective games in top form, with each undefeated and holding a stingy sub- 2.00 ERA.

Kremer, at 1- 0, could easily have won all three of his starts, allowing just one run in each of his appearances while striking out 20 batters in only 16 innings. Fried, 7- 0, had been the Braves anchor, praised in the pregame show for having “put the team on his back” in its successful bid for a postseason berth.

However, the good karma lasted less than one inning for each pitcher. Fried looked sharp as he retired the first two batters, but then turned his ankle while making a dazzling fielding play. He immediately gave up back- tobackhomers – the first dingers he had allowed all year – followed by a hard- hit double.

While Fried wanted to gut it out, it was obvious that nobody was going to take a chance before next week’s playoff series.

Fortunately for Fried and the Braves, the preliminary indications are good, but he will undergo further evaluations. A small measure of comfort for Fried was seeing his team storm back to win, thus preventing a loss which would have ruined a perfect record.

In Boston, it was a different yet no happier story, as Kremer gave up two first- inning runs and didn’t make it out of the third inning. The Israeli- American left after allowing seven runs and seeing his ERA balloon from 1.64 to 4.82.

Still, this outing didn’t take away from the fact that Kremer has impressed everyone in Baltimore and earned himself a place in the O’s 2021 rotation.

Looking ahead to next year, Orioles Manager Brandon Hyde said: “I’m excited about Dean. I think Dean has a big upside.”

Kremer himself said that he is “pretty happy with how I got to dip my toe in the water, and I’m excited for next year.”

Indeed, Kremer has proven himself both on the field and off.

After his previous start, when asked what he might say to the young Israelis hoping to be the “next Dean Kremer” he told them to “work hard and take advantage of the great coaching available to them here with Alon [ Leichman] and Assaf [ Lowengart].

Team Israel GM Peter Kurz remembers Kremer for his intelligence, humility and great attitude – Kremer represented Israel several times, most recently in the 2017 World Baseball Classic – and would love to see both Kremer and Fried in blue- andwhite uniforms in the future.

Also, Israeli and Jewish fans everywhere took great pride seeing Kremer’s Magen David ( which he wears under his jersey) slip into view while firing to the last batter in his second game.

Baseball mavens are invited to RSVP with any other combinations over the last half century of two Jewish pitchers starting on the same day.

Interestingly exactly 54 years ago, not only did two Jewish pitchers start on the same day, but the very two who are routinely considered the greatest Jewish starters of all time even faced each other in the greatest showdown of Jewish aces ever.

On September 25, 1966, with the Dodgers in a pennant race, Ken Holtzman started for the horrific Cubs and outdueled Sandy Koufax in a tight 2- 1 pitchers’ duel with both hurlers throwing complete games!

As it turned out, this was the only time that fate would present an opportunity for Koufax to face Holtzman, who was destined to overtake the Dodgers’ legend as the all- time Jewish wins leader ( 174 for Holtzman to 165 for Koufax). Locals may also recall that Holtzman went on to manage the Petah Tikva Pioneers in 2006 in the short- lived IBL.