Owen makes long-awaited big league debut
A year ago, Hunter Owen’s path to the big leagues had seemingly lost its momentum. On Wednesday evening, he made his Major League debut.
“Just a dream come true,” Owen said prior to the Pirates' series finale with the Padres in San Diego. “It’s been the culmination of a lot of hard work. I’ve had a lot of help from a lot of people growing up. A dream come true just to be able to step out on a big-league field today.”
Owen, who was selected by the Pirates after the team placed Gregory Polanco on the injured list with an undisclosed injury, hit seventh and played right field to begin his career. His arrival is all the more rewarding given how last season unfolded.
Owen was not assigned to the Pirates’ alternate training site, calling the decision “frustrating” given that he was in his late-20s. With no Minor League season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Owen had to find ways to fill the void.
Like most Minor Leaguers who were not assigned to an alternate training site, Owen had to get creative to stay sharp. Once Triple-A Indianapolis' facilities opened back up, Owen got to work. He began by hitting off a batting tee, but later bought an automatic pitching feeder for the facility and used the device every day for several months.
Along with the time spent on baseball, Owen took classes at Indiana State to finish his degree in sports management. Owen had one year left when he declared for the MLB Draft and currently projects to graduate in December. Owen also picked up a job at a local golf course that he described as “the easiest job in the world.”
Owen’s first big league task wasn't quite as lax, as he drew one of the game’s elite pitchers in his debut.
“If you would’ve told me I was facing Yu Darvish two years later, I would’ve probably called you a liar," Owen said before the game.
It was a tough draw, indeed. Owen went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts and a hit-by-pitch on a 95 mph fastball to the left hand against Darvish.
While some players can get a sense that they’re going to be called up, Owen was caught off guard. According to manager Derek Shelton, who played at Southern Illinois of the Missouri Valley Conference, Owen thought the two were going to discuss their respective alma maters, who are scheduled to play a series next weekend. The conversation did not go as expected.
“I think he thought I was calling him in to talk about the series that they were going to play and have a little bet on it,” Shelton said. “For him to be completely blindsided made it a little bit more special because the look on his face when I told him was of great shock.”
Injury updates
• Third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes (left wrist) has continued his hitting progression and is not experiencing discomfort or soreness. The short-term plan for Hayes is to continuing building up volume with a goal of hitting on the field in the coming days.
Director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said it makes sense for Hayes to get at-bats in a rehab assignment, but no plans are set in stone.
• Right-hander Chad Kuhl (right shoulder) threw a second side session in San Diego and, according to Tomczyk, the next step will likely be a simulated game or live batting practice.
• Left-hander Steven Brault (left lat strain) continues to progress well in his rehab and is being prepped to throw either by the end of this week or next week.
Padres mourn Ray Miller
The Pirates announced Wednesday that former pitching coach Ray Miller had died. He was 76.
Miller had the famous mantra that pitchers should, “Work fast, change speeds, throw strikes,” a philosophy that Shelton believes will stand the test of time.
“There’s things that happen in the game that never change,” Shelton said. “You read Ted Williams’ book and he talks about choking up and using [the other side of the field] -- that plays. That’s gonna play until the end of time. [Miller’s] credo is always going to play. You guys that work fast, go after people, throw strikes, good things are going to happen.”