NEWSLETTER
I think even the home run and the walk in the 9th were perfect.
Obviously it wouldn’t be a bad thing if Adbert Alzolay pitched five no-hit, strikeout-laden innings in his big league debut. But there’s almost something about the arc of his night that feels even better to me. The 24-year-old top Cubs pitching prospect looked a little amped in his first inning of work, losing his command to the arm side, but he got through the inning. Then he dominated, almost comically so, for three innings. Then, as something of a cosmic reminder about what it’s like to be in the big leagues, Todd Frazier crushed a mistake pitch, Alzolay lost the plate on four straight after that, and he was pulled from the game.
Welcome to the big leagues, kid. Tremendous outing, but there’s always more to work on.
I like it. I like it a lot.
I also like that Alzolay showed the world exactly what a lot of us saw in his handful of AAA starts we caught on video: he simply looks like a big league starting pitcher. There’s something about the life of his fastball, the bite of his curveball, and the way he attacks hitters aggressively in the zone that make you feel confident that he belongs. Even on a night when he absolutely did not have his best command, he still had enough stuff to wipe out several very good Mets hitters.
A bonus? The changeup – a clear third pitch behind his four-seamer and his curveball – looked really good. It’s no surprise he said after the game that was the best he’s thrown the pitch.
The highlights:
Ultimately, Alzolay went 4.0 innings, allowing just the one hit (HR), two walks, and striking out five.
Alzolay rightly had so much happy energy after the debut:
“It’s the best thing that ever happened to me.” —Alzolay pic.twitter.com/mCHhJm5VtC
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) June 21, 2019
Alzolay postgame pic.twitter.com/oF6Q5McqHG
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) June 21, 2019
More goodness from the stellar Alzolay outing:
Adbert Alzolay on when he got to the mound and saw the first batter he'd face as a major leaguer: "Oh my gosh, everything is coming true right now. The thing I always dream as a kid is just coming true."
— Jared Wyllys (@jwyllys) June 21, 2019
Alzolay said he talked to his parents after the game. They were able to watch his MLB debut in Venezuela. He said there were a lot of tears during that call.
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) June 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1141909454977454080
Re Alzolay earlier in his outing: FROM ELIAS: In the expansion era (since 1961), no Cubs pitcher struck out 4 or more consecutive batters in his MLB debut, entering today.
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) June 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/BleacherNation/status/1142034515285741568
Willson Contreras on Adbert Alzolay: “He set the tone. If he keeps going like that, he’s going to be a good pitcher in the big leagues. He’s still got a couple things to work on, like everybody else, but I think his confidence is going to take him a long way.”
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) June 21, 2019
Anthony Rizzo, trying to temper expectations for Alzolay-mania in Chicago: “Let’s pump the brakes a little bit. Let’s let him settle into the big leagues and play baseball before we crown him the next Pedro Martinez, which I hope he is.”
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) June 21, 2019
