World Series Hero Calls Yankees Turning Point and Sees It Happen

Andy Pettitte has done a lot in pinstripes. He’s won five World Series titles, has 219 of his career wins been for the Yankees, and he’s made more October starts than anyone in history. But on Saturday, the Yankees legend added “psychic” to his résumé.

Sitting in the Yankees’ radio booth alongside Dave Simms and Suzyn Waldman, Pettitte was watching a tense game against the Astro unfold when he decided to speak up.

“We need a run here. We need a run right here,” Pettitte said, timing his request like only a big-game pitcher could.

Seconds later, Trent Grisham obliged, crushing the go-ahead home run as if Pettitte had drawn it up himself. The normally measured lefty lit up. “How about that,” he said as the crowd roared in the background. 

Pettitte, now a part-time pitching coach for the Yankees, said afterward that he feels like a father on this team. He’s around often enough to know the grind they’ve been through, especially during this stretch.  Since mid-June, though, they’ve gone just 19-27, losing 29 of their last 48 games and slipping to third place in the division.

“You can feel it with these guys,” Pettitte explained. “They’ve been battling. Sometimes it just takes one moment to flip things. I think something like that can get this team going.”

Coming from Pettitte, it carries weight. 

This is a guy who pitched in, and won, games that defined eras in Yankees history. When he says a spark can start a fire, fans tend to believe him.

Maybe Pettitte didn’t call his own shot like Babe Ruth, but in the middle of a season that’s felt like a grind, he sure made it feel like something special was brewing.

If the Yankees do get hot from here, remember Saturday. Remember Andy Pettitte, casually summoning the run that might have changed everything.