Announcer jinx strikes Rockies pitcher twice in first inning against Dodgers

While the Los Angeles Dodgers hitters didn’t need any help against Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Germán Márquez Wednesday night, they got help in the form of announcer jinxes from Colorado announcers Drew Goodman and Cory Sullivan.

The Rockies actually staked starting pitcher Germán Márquez to a 1-0 lead after the top of the first inning. It didn’t last long.

Sullivan was discussing Márquez’s struggles in his last two outings as the pitcher faced Shohei Ohtani.

“But guess what? Here at Dodger Stadium, he’s pitched phenomenally well,” Sullivan said.

Goodman began to reply to Sullivan but didn’t have time to finish his thought. The reason? Ohtani took the next pitch he saw deep. As Goodman noted, “that thing almost left Dodger Stadium.”

Colorado Rockies announcers Drew Goodman and Cory Sullivan put on an announcer jinx masterclass on Wednesday.

Part 1: Sullivan says that Rockies pitcher Germán Márquez has “pitched phenomenally well” at Dodger Stadium.

On the next pitch, Shohei Ohtani took him deep. pic.twitter.com/PSwNqoygVo

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 17, 2025

After Márquez retired the next hitter, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman strolled to the plate. After Márquez’s first offering to Freeman missed the plate, Goodman brought up the pitcher’s past success at Dodger Stadium.

“So I was saying a moment ago, when you mentioned how well Germán has pitched,” Goodman said. Once again, he couldn’t finish his thought.

Freeman sent Márquez’s next offering over the wall, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.

“Oh, boy,” Goodman said. “I was gonna tell you how well he’s typically pitched at Dodger Stadium. But this is turning into a rough first inning.”

Part 2: Two batters later, Goodman references Sullivan’s comments about Germán Márquez pitching well at Dodger Stadium.

Once again, the next pitch was a home run, this one by Freddie Freeman.

Márquez was pulled in the first inning, having allowed seven runs. pic.twitter.com/KS6n0Cy6CX

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 17, 2025

It got no better for Márquez and the Rockies.

While Márquez did retire the next hitter, Teoscar Hernández, for the second out, he didn’t record a third. The next six hitters all reached base. The lead went to 4-1 when No. 8 hitter Andy Pages delivered a two-run single. Two more runs scored on a double from Austin Barnes, then Ohtani delivered his second hit of the inning, an RBI single, which made the score 7-1 and chased Márquez from the game.

To be fair, Goodman and Sullivan were correct. Entering Wednesday’s game, Márquez had a 2.89 career ERA and 0.98 career WHIP at Dodger Stadium. Those are fantastic numbers, particularly when considering how good the Dodgers have been throughout Márquez’s career.

After Wednesday, though, things look a little different. Márquez now has a 3.97 ERA and 1.09 WHIP at Chavez Ravine.

Can we blame the announcer jinx for that? Certainly the Dodgers have roughed up plenty of pitchers without the benefit of an announcer jinx. And as both announcers noted, Márquez was struggling entering the game. But even if one doesn’t believe in the announcer jinx, there’s no need to tempt fate — certainly not more than once in an inning.