In the clinching Games of the 2018 NLCS and 2018 World Series, respectively, aces Clayton Kershaw (for Kenley Jansen) and Chris Sale (for Craig Kimbrel, indeed the other pitcher warming up besides Sale was another starter, Nathan Eovaldi) pitched the ninth-inning in lieu of their team's regular closer. Neither relief entrance was a high pressure situation as their teams were already leading 5-1 entering the 9th; but it gave Sale the opportunity to get the final outs of the series (Sale also got the first outs of the series when he started the opener).