Boston Red Sox Rookie Honors Late Father In MLB Debut
It was a debut to remember for Red Sox rookie Tyler Samaniego on Wednesday.
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. First batter, first K!
Tyler Samaniego already looks like a natural up here 🙌 pic. twitter. com/4lsVHw023I — NESN (@NESN) April 8, 2026 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.