In a statistical anomaly that made baseball fans do a double-take, Oakland Athletics pitcher Sean Newcomb recorded his first win of the year on Friday night without facing a single batter. The left-handed reliever's unique achievement occurred during a game against the Minnesota Twins.

With the A's trailing 5-4 in the eighth inning and a runner on first base, Newcomb entered the game from the bullpen. After getting to a 1-1 count, Newcomb decided to throw over to first base, resulting in a rundown situation for the runner. Eventually, Austin Martin was tagged out, effectively ending the inning.

Statistically, a batter is "faced" if the at-bat itself results in an out, whether it's the batter or a runner via a fielder's choice. In this case, since it was Newcomb's pickoff that resulted in the out, no batter was officially "faced." This peculiar sequence of events led to Newcomb securing the win without actually throwing a pitch to a batter.

The game took an unexpected turn in the bottom half of the inning when Shea Langeliers blasted a two-run homer off Jhoan Duran, granting the Athletics a 6-5 lead. With the newfound advantage, Oakland called upon their flame-throwing closer, Mason Miller, who successfully recorded the save, sealing Newcomb's historic win.

This remarkable feat marks the first time in the 124-year history of the Oakland Athletics that a pitcher has recorded a victory without facing a single batter. Although it goes down as just one-third of an inning on the stat sheet, it exemplifies the unpredictable nature of the sport.

Newcomb's performance that evening was a welcome turnaround for the pitcher, as his previous two outings this season had not gone particularly well. In a combined 3.1 innings, he had surrendered five earned runs. However, with Friday's win, Newcomb showcased the potential that earned him a 3.00 ERA for the Athletics last year.

Eighth-year veteran Newcomb, who spent his first six seasons with the Atlanta Braves before joining the Cubs in 2022, has proven himself to be a valuable asset to Oakland's bullpen. Despite his early struggles this season, it is clear that Newcomb has the ability to make an impact on the team's success.

The Athletics' 29-49 season record was bolstered by Newcomb's win, albeit marginally. However, the Minnesota Twins quickly retaliated with a lopsided 10-2 victory in the following match, highlighting the ever-changing dynamics of baseball.

As fans and analysts marvel at Sean Newcomb's unprecedented win without facing a batter, it serves as a reminder of the extraordinary moments that can unfold in America's pastime.