Esmerlyn Valdez said that he actually pinched himself just before his major-league debut Friday night at Rogers Centre.
He was walking toward the right field line when he saw his childhood hero, Jose Bautista, formerly of the Pirates before becoming a Toronto hero, walking out to the mound, preparing to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
"I said, ‘Wait a minute, this feels like a dream,’ and I pinched myself," Valdez said via interpreter and major-league coach Stephen Morales. "But then I realized it was for real.”
Valdez's debut could have gone better. He had one walk and two strikeouts in his two at bats in the Pirates' 6-2 loss to the Blue Jays. But it was still a valuable learning experience.
"For him coming up, he got some good swings off," Don Kelly said. "He had a good at-bat and walked. (Kevin) Gausman, (Mason) Fluharty and (Louis) Varland, they’re really good pitchers. He faced some good ones tonight. I thought he had the good walk and swung the bat pretty well. To get the first one out of the way, get the jitters out and be ready to roll tomorrow."
Asked if he feels more confident going into tomorrow's game after the experience he had tonight, Valdez said, "I believe so."
"I took some good at bats in the end," he said. "My plan was there of swinging at good pitches. I think I’ll be in a good spot.”
THE ASYLUM
Valdez 'in a good spot' after debut
Esmerlyn Valdez said that he actually pinched himself just before his major-league debut Friday night at Rogers Centre.
He was walking toward the right field line when he saw his childhood hero, Jose Bautista, formerly of the Pirates before becoming a Toronto hero, walking out to the mound, preparing to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
"I said, ‘Wait a minute, this feels like a dream,’ and I pinched myself," Valdez said via interpreter and major-league coach Stephen Morales. "But then I realized it was for real.”
Valdez's debut could have gone better. He had one walk and two strikeouts in his two at bats in the Pirates' 6-2 loss to the Blue Jays. But it was still a valuable learning experience.
"For him coming up, he got some good swings off," Don Kelly said. "He had a good at-bat and walked. (Kevin) Gausman, (Mason) Fluharty and (Louis) Varland, they’re really good pitchers. He faced some good ones tonight. I thought he had the good walk and swung the bat pretty well. To get the first one out of the way, get the jitters out and be ready to roll tomorrow."
Asked if he feels more confident going into tomorrow's game after the experience he had tonight, Valdez said, "I believe so."
"I took some good at bats in the end," he said. "My plan was there of swinging at good pitches. I think I’ll be in a good spot.”
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