It hasn't been the start to the season that anyone envisioned for the Boston Red Sox, but in Wednesday afternoon's 5-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, the (then 3-8) start didn't seem to matter.
Ahead of Wednesday's game, the Red Sox placed reliever Justin Slaten on the 15-day injured list with a right oblique strain. With the corresponding move, the team recalled left-handed pitcher Tyler Samaniego from Triple-A Worcester, his first call-up to the big leagues.
In the eighth inning, with the Red Sox holding a 5-0 lead, and three left-handed batters due up for Milwaukee, the bullpen doors swung open and out came Samaniego to make his first appearance on a big league mound. "It was exactly how I imagined it, just jogging in, looking around, taking it all in," Samaniego said of his trot out to the mound from the right field bullpen.
It was a dream debut for the 27-year-old rookie, striking on the first batter he faced, Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick, on three straight pitches. "I kinda got a little juiced up after that one, and then I walked the next guy, which I'm not happy about," Samaniego told reporters.
After walking Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell, he quickly locked back in with former MVP Christian Yelich at the dish. After a seven-pitch battle with Yelich, Samaniego got him to offer at a fastball low and away for strikeout number two. Samaniego capped off his first big league inning, making quick work of Milwaukee left fielder Luis Matos, striking him out on four pitches.
Samaniego joined Will Flemming, Will Middlebrooks, and Lenny Dinardo, who had the radio call of the game on WEEI after the Sox win. "It's the same game as it's always been, just the lights were brighter, stadium's bigger, just going out there and trying to be myself. That's what got me here, and no point in changing it now," he told the trio.
Things got emotional for Samaniego when asked about honoring his dad, Rick, who passed away in 2022. "It means everything to me, man, like, just, I've dreamed of this moment for so long. Me and dad talked about it a lot, and after he passed, me and my brother and mom just talked about it." Samaniego said of his big league debut. "I know he's out here with me, and he was there with me out there, so it just means a lot," he continued.
Samaniego revealed that he didn't learn about his call-up until 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, meaning that his family was unable to make it to Fenway in time to see his debut. They will join the team in St. Louis, where they will have a chance to see the rookie reliever on a big league mound again.
The Red Sox will kick off a six-game road trip on Friday night in St. Louis, taking on the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. First pitch from Busch Stadium set for 8:10 p.m. ET.
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