After 13 years within the minor leagues, Drew Maggi used to be greeted with a status ovation when he made his main league debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday evening.
The 33-year-old, who performed 1,154 video games within the minors, pinch hit for five-time All-Star McCutchen within the 8th inning with the Pirates forward via seven runs. Maggi noticed 4 pitches from Alex Vesia, placing out on a slider, in an at-bat that incorporated a pitch-clock violation via the rookie batter.
“It’s the best strikeout I’ve ever had,” Maggi stated with a grin after the Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-1.
After making 4,494 plate appearances within the minors, Maggio used to be referred to as up from Double-A Altoona on Sunday when outfielder Bryan Reynolds used to be positioned at the bereavement checklist. Manager Derek Shelton did not discover a spot to make use of Maggi throughout his first two video games in Pittsburgh and Maggi used to be frightened of a repeat of 2019, when he used to be referred to as up via Minnesota for a couple of days however did not seem in a recreation.
Shelton, who used to be the Twins’ bench trainer then, used to be delighted that he used to be in a position to get Maggi in.
“That was cool. That was really cool,” Shelton said. “I mean to be able to, as long as I’ve known him, to be able to be the person that was telling him [to pinch-hit] was just really cool.”
“This is it. This is the moment,’” Maggi remembered thinking.
He fouled a fastball deep down the left-field line and fell behind 0-2 on the clock violation as the crowd of 12,152 booed plate umpire Jeff Nelson.
After fouling another fastball to the right side, Maggi took a high-and-outside fastball before swinging over a pitch in the dirt. He ran to first, where catcher Austin Wynn’s throw to Freddie Freeman easily beat him for the out.
Maggi said he has no regrets about spending more than a decade in the minors. However, he admitted Wednesday’s at-bat made the years of chasing his dream worth it.
“I like baseball,” Maggi stated. “I was grinding for 13 years but I was doing what I loved. The ultimate goal is the big leagues. Just kind of getting here, my name is in history. I put on a big league uniform, and I shared the field with the world’s greatest players.”
Maggi spent a few moments after the game greeting his family along the box seat railing. The magnitude of the moment hit him once he saw his parents, who had made the trip from Phoenix, and other family members.
“There were a lot of ‘I love you. We’re proud of you. You did it!’” Maggi stated. “I noticed my dad crying. I don’t believe I’ve ever observed him cry prior to. All the ones years, I puzzled what I might say to my folks if that second had been ever to return. They’ve been proper there with me. Hearing the ones phrases made all of it profitable. I do know the ultimate 13 years have no longer been wasted.