Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt was captured on film while seeming to be calmly reading his Bible alone in the dugout before he started in the pivotal Game 7 of the National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The MLB player was preparing to start the final game of the series, an elimination game to see which team would advance to the World Series.
The Diamondbacks went on to win. Pfaadt pitched four innings with seven strikeouts, allowing two runs in the 4-2 victory. However, much of the attention was on photographs of the pitcher waiting in the dugout as his teammates batted in the first inning.
“Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaadt appears to be reading the Bible moments before taking the mound for a winner-take-all Game 7,” CBS Sports’ Danny Vietti wrote on X.
Anchor Phil Sanchez also took notice.
While some have speculated that the thick book could have been scouting reports and notes on opposing players, Pfaadt has made religious statements and references to his faith before.
In 2020 while awaiting the MLB draft, Pfaadt told WRDB about how his belief in God helps with stress.
“It weighs on me,” he said. “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. God has a plan, so just keep working hard every single day, and hopefully, your dream will come true,” the pitcher added.
According to Fox News, the 25-year-old player went to an all-boys Catholic high school called Trinity High School, which is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville.
Pfaadt also played college baseball at the private Catholic school Bellarmine University.
“It feels unbelievable,” Pfaadt told MLB.com about the win. “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.”
The Diamondbacks will appear in their first World Series since winning their only championship in 2001.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!