The fact that they play for the same team, so this is potentially the only time you’ll ever see these inner circle greats face one another really adds to the moment. It’s like a fantasy matchup.

That slower pace that some people complain about with baseball is, almost paradoxically, the exact reason games like this one are so gripping. The face-off between pitcher and hitter, the rising tension and then the release and outcome is exactly what makes it a great sport.