Peyton Gray had visualized the moment so many times that he did not feel nervous when finally making his major league debut — at age 30 after eight years through the minor leagues, independent ball and four winters outside the US.
Gray on Thursday worked a perfect inning on his debut for the Texas Rangers, getting a groundout on his first pitch in the majors and ending the 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates with a strikeout of Konnor Griffin, the highly touted shortstop playing the day before his 20th birthday.
“That makes me feel pretty old,” Gray said with a smile. “Getting my first career strikeout on him is pretty cool.”
Photo: AP
The Rangers promoted Gray from Triple-A Round Rock earlier on Thursday after placing left-handed reliever Robert Garcia on the 15-day injured list because of shoulder inflammation after he had not pitched in a week.
Gray was the fourth reliever they used after two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom recorded his 62nd career 10-strikeout game, getting those in 5-2/3 innings.
“It was awesome, and I was getting chills,” Rangers manager Skip Shumaker said. “The journey that he had to get to this spot, you could probably write a book about it.”
Gray found out about 10:30pm on Wednesday night, after Round Rock was rained out for the second day in a row in Sugar Land, Texas, that he was going to join the Rangers. He then called his parents in Columbus, Indiana, and they made the more than 1400km drive to be at their son’s major league debut.
Each time the telephone rang in the Rangers bullpen, Gray got antsy thinking it could be his moment.
“When it was finally my turn, it was awesome. I wasn’t nervous, I was more excited, prepared,” said Gray, who was asked later why he didn’t feel nervous. “I think I visualized this moment so many times throughout my life... I feel like I’ve been a big leaguer already. I just haven’t been able to be on this stage yet.”
After needing only one pitch to get his first out, Gray got a flyout before facing Griffin, the teenager who two weeks ago agreed to nine-year, US$140 million contract with the Pirates.
The swing-and-miss for strike three was on a changeup that catcher Danny Jansen blocked and then threw to first base to end the game.
“This game is amazing. I love this game so much because of stories like that,” Schumaker said. “You’re seeing a kid that just came out of high school not too long ago, and then another guy that has spent [time] trying to get his moment... For him to get a strikeout against a future All-Star over there. That’s what the beautiful part of this game is, you don’t see that in every sport. That just doesn’t happen. So yeah, pretty cool moment.”
After being in the Rangers’ minor league system last season, Gray impressed in spring training this year as a non-roster invite. He had a 2.53 ERA in nine appearances with 18 strikeouts and one walk over 10-2/3 innings.
The pitcher who turns 31 on June 2 began this season at Triple-A Round Rock, where he threw 12-2/3 scoreless innings over seven games, going 1-0 with two saves, 15 strikeouts and two walks.
“Being the 30-year-old non-roster invite that doesn’t have any big league time, I don’t think they expected me to put up as many zeroes and throw as many strikes as I did,” Gray said. ”So I think I surprised them. I might have surprised myself a little bit, too.”
“That’s awesome, 30 years old,” deGrom said of Gray. “So for him to get up here and get to the major leagues is just a testament to how hard he has worked throughout the minor leagues and stuff. So very happy for him.”
Elsewhere, the Dodgers downed the Giants 3-0, the Mets mastered the Twins 10-8, the Braves routed the Nationals 7-2, the Tigers tamed the Brewers 5-4, the Padres overcame the Rockies 10-8, the White Sox defeated the Diamondbacks 4-1, the Yankees beat the Red Sox 4-2 and the Cubs edged the Phillies 8-7 in 10 innings.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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