![Pitcher Brandon Woodruff hitting. [image source: MLB- YouTube]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2020/6/24/660x290/b_502x220x82/pitcher-brandon-woodruff-hitting-image-source-mlb-youtube_2481810.jpg "Pitcher Brandon Woodruff hitting. [image source: MLB- YouTube]")
For the 2020 season and seemingly going forward, Major League Baseball has abolished the rule that pitchers have to hit in the National League [VIDEO] and will opt to use a universal designated hitter. While most pitchers are not good hitters at the major league level which is evidenced by a combined slash line of .128/.160/.162 by all pitchers in 2019, there are a few pitchers that can actually rake. Here are pitchers that weren't necessarily automatic outs and that we're going to miss watching at the plate.
Madison Bumgarner
When it comes to pitchers hitting, Madbum is the pitcher that comes to mind. He is probably the best hitter that's a pitcher as he has decent offensive numbers, has been used as a pinch hitter and has even hit when playing in AL parks. Bumgarner is a career .177/.228/.303 hitter with 19 HR and 62 RBIs. On Opening Day 2017, Bumgarner hit two home runs to help propel his team to victory. He has two Silver Slugger awards that came back-to-back in '14 and '15.
Zack Greinke
While he wasn't going to get as many at-bats this year, he still would have been able to show his offensive prowess when the Astros visited NL teams. At the plate, Greinke has a career slash line of .225/.263/.337 with nine home runs. He also has more career hits (117) than times he struck out (113). Just last season where he spent the first half of the campaign with the Diamondbacks, he slashed .280/.308/.580. He has two Silver Slugger awards to his name which he won in 2013 and 2019.
