28-year-old Weston Wilson homers in long-awaited MLB debut

PHILADELPHIA -- Weston Wilson got emotional again as he reflected on one of the greatest days of his life.

What’s it like to think about a moment forever and then have it exceed expectations? Wilson tried to answer that question Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park. After 2,836 plate appearances in the Minor Leagues over seven seasons, Wilson made his big league debut in Michael Lorenzen’s no-hit, 7-0 victory over the Nationals. He crushed a home run to left-center field in the second inning in his first career plate appearance. It marked the first time in AL/NL history that a team had a player homer in his Major League debut and a pitcher throw a no-hitter in the same contest, per Elias Sports Bureau.

Wilson said he told teammates before the game that he felt he would homer.

“I felt like it was going to happen,” Wilson said. “Not to sound bad, but everybody’s had my back since I’ve been here. … Been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. I’m speechless right now.”

• All-time no-hitters in AL/NL history

Wilson is the first Phillies player to homer in his first MLB plate appearance since Marlon Anderson in 1998. Elias said Wilson (28 years, 332 days old) is the sixth-oldest player in baseball history to hit his first career home run in his first career plate appearance:

• J. Hack Miller (31 years, 70 days) on April 23, 1944
• Hoyt Wilhelm (29 years, 272 days) on April 23, 1952
• Don G. Lepper (29 years, 242 days) on June 18, 1961
• Luke Stuart (29 years, 77 days) on Aug. 8, 1921
• Cuno Barragan (29 years, 73 days) on Sept. 1, 1961

“I just tried to get ready, honestly, and just see the pitches as early as possible,” Wilson said. “I wasn’t thinking too much. Just tried to take some pressure off myself. I’ve had a lot of at-bats. Just remembering that -- this isn’t the first one.”

Wilson crushed a 1-1 curveball from MacKenzie Gore a Statcast-projected 429 feet. He circled the bases in 24.1 seconds.

“I didn’t feel my legs,” he said.

Wilson had a group of 15-20 family members in attendance Wednesday, including his father, Billy, mother, Jodie, and wife, Madison. They jumped when Wilson’s ball sailed toward left-center field. Everybody went crazy when it landed in the seats.

Tears flowed.

“We’ve been here for three days,” Billy said. “It’s been very emotional. I think the biggest thing through all this is it’s all about the journey, not the destination. We’re glad he’s here, but all the lessons he’s learned along the way -- the journey is what defines a person.”

Billy and Jodie have seen countless Little League, high school, college and Minor League games over the years. Madison had seen plenty of games, too. They will celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary in September.

“It’s surreal, but it’s all God’s timing,” Billy said. “There was a reason why it took him this long to get there. There were a lot of lessons learned. But I’m thrilled where his head and heart space are. We’re just thrilled for him. He’s worked so hard. It’s just very special.”

“We’re so proud of him,” Jodie said. “He’s worked his tail off to get here.”

“As incredible of an athlete he is, he’s 10 times a man and a husband,” Madison said.

It takes so much hard work and talent to play professional baseball at any level. It seems impossibly difficult to make the big leagues, even for a day. Wilson knows this. He has been trying for years. Then he had a night he will never forget.

“This is a moment they’ve been waiting on for a while as well,” Wilson said about his family. “And they love me more than anything. Just being here for it made my night. Everything that happened. The no-hitter was something truly incredible to be a part of. Casty’s [Nick Castellanos] 200th homer. And then obviously everything that happened. That’s a testament to everybody in this locker room preaching to me to be myself.”