Cleveland Indians pitcher Triston McKenzie’s 10 strikeouts Saturday are the second-most in franchise … [+]
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Eight months after trading two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, roughly a year after trading strikeout machine Trevor Bauer, and two weeks after Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac were subtracted from the major league roster for violating team protocol, the Cleveland Indians on Saturday summoned the next big thing from their seemingly bottomless pitching factory.
He’s 23-year-old right-hander Triston McKenzie, and his major league debut on Saturday was a very big deal.
“Wow. That was impressive. He was fantastic. It was very exciting to watch,” said Sandy Alomar Jr., who is filling in as Cleveland’s manager while Terry Francona deals with some health issues.
In a 6-1 victory over Detroit, McKenzie pitched six innings, allowing one run on two hits, with 10 strikeouts and one walk. McKenzie threw 80 pitches, 70% of them strikes (56). He threw first-pitch strikes to 14 of the 20 batters he faced.
“Triston attacked the strike zone from pitch one, and maintained his aggressiveness throughout the game. He demonstrated four quality pitches. I’m not sure you could script a better major league debut than the one Triston had,” said Indians president Chris Antonetti.
“It’s exciting. He has a great future,” said Indians catcher Roberto Perez.
Making McKenzie’s major league debut even more impressive is that it came in his first appearance in an official game in almost two years. McKenzie missed all of the 2019 season with a rotator cuff strain, followed by a pectoral strain.
His start on Saturday was his first in a game since he started for Double-A Akron on Aug. 30, 2018.
His 10 strikeouts against the Tigers on Saturday are the second most in Indians history for a pitcher in his major league debut. Luis Tiant struck out 11 Yankees in his debut in 1964.
Following the game, McKenzie was asked what his expectation was for his first major league start.
“A solid outing, and I didn’t lose,” he said. “This was way better than that.”
Cleveland never seems to run out of quality pitchers. Despite the trades of Kluber and Bauer, and despite missing 40% of their opening-day rotation this year (Clevinger and Plesac), the Indians still lead the majors with a starters’ ERA of 2.80.
McKenzie is the latest addition. Clevinger and Plesac were optioned to the Indians’ alternate training site, but both are eligible to return this week. Whether one or both are recalled remains to be seen, but McKenzie’s dazzling major league debut was hard to ignore.
“He didn’t look like he was nervous at all. With that performance I don’t see why he wouldn’t get another opportunity,” said Alomar after Saturday’s game.
On Sunday, Antonetti confirmed that McKenzie “will make another start.” McKenzie’s next day to pitch would be Thursday, but the Indians are off that day. That would mean his next start would likely be Friday in St. Louis.
Cleveland’s rotation has been anchored by Shane Bieber (5-0, 1.11 ERA), Aaron Civale (3-2, 2.91) and Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 3.71). McKenzie would seemingly slot in behind those three. Adam Plutko has been used in spot starts thus far, and the status of Clevinger and Plesac remain uncertain. Civale (3rd round), Bieber (4th round) and Plesac (12th round), are all products of the Indians’ great 2016 draft.
McKenzie was the Indians’ supplemental first-round pick (42nd overall) in the 2015 Draft. As a minor leaguer he has had durability issues, perhaps owing to his slight build. Although standing 6-5, he weighs just 165 pounds, but he’s still able to generate fastball velocities in the mid-90s.
“The good thing about him is that he goes right after hitters. It’s impressive to watch,” said Perez. “He gets on the mound and he doesn’t care who (he’s facing), he goes after him with 95, 96.”
