CLEVELAND — (AP) Highly touted pitching prospect Triston McKenzie is scheduled to make his major league debut Saturday night for the Indians.
The 23-year-old right-hander will start against the Detroit Tigers in Cleveland. He has been working out at the Tribe's alternate training site in Eastlake.
McKenzie missed last season because of a shoulder injury after pitching at Double-A Akron in 2018, where he went 7-4 with a 2.68 ERA in 16 starts. He was a supplemental first-round draft pick in 2015 out of Royal Palm Beach High School in Florida, and is currently ranked as the ninth-best prospect in the Indians organization by MLB.com (he had been No. 1 last year before getting hurt).
"Just be yourself, trust yourself," acting manager Sandy Alomar Jr., a six-time All-Star catcher for Cleveland, said Thursday about what advice he would give the rookie. "It’s a different level but you’ve still got to throw strikes and do the things that made you successful in the minor leagues."
According to FanGraphs, McKenzie's pitch repertoire includes the customary fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup, with the first two rated as his best. He has averaged nearly 11 strikeouts per nine innings during his minor league career while allowing less than one walk or hit per inning pitched.
McKenzie's promotion comes with the Tribe's starting rotation at somewhat of a crossroads: Although the club leads the American League with a 2.79 ERA, it has been hurting for pitching depth since Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac were banished to Lake County after breaking COVID-19 protocol (and subsequently lying about it) in Chicago. Adam Plutko became the fourth starter, but has struggled with a 6.88 ERA and blew a 5-0 lead against Detroit on Friday.
To make room on the 28-man roster for McKenzie, Cleveland optioned outfielder Bradley Zimmer to the alternate site. A former first-round pick himself, Zimmer has hit just .162 in 20 games this season.
At 16-10, the Indians sit second in the AL Central, just a half-game behind the Minnesota Twins. The 10-14 Tigers are in last, and will counter with Matthew Boyd (0-3, 9.64 ERA) tonight.
