The Los Angeles Dodgers made multiple roster moves prior to their series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and among them included recalling Andre Jackson from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Still short on starting pitchers, the Dodgers opted for a bullpen game Monday, giving Justin Bruihl the ball for his first Major League start. The left-hander gave up a hit in what otherwise was a scoreless first inning.
He was followed by Jackson, who made the most of his MLB debut by tossing four scoreless innings to help the Dodgers earn a 2-1 comeback win.
Jackson allowed just two hits and collected five strikeouts but struggled with his command at times, as evidenced by the four walks he issued.
The performance was one of a kind, as according to STATS, Jackson became the first player to put up such a stat line in his MLB debut.
The @Dodgers Andre Jackson is the first player in the modern era to tally 5+ strikeouts, 4+ walks, and allow no runs in a relief appearance for his MLB debut.
— Stats By STATS (@StatsBySTATS) August 17, 2021
Jackson, the No. 22 ranked Dodgers prospect by MLB Pipeline, was among multiple pitchers within the organization to earn a promotion at the beginning of August.
The right-hander went 3-2 with a 3.27 ERA and 75 strikeouts across 63.1 innings pitched in 15 games (13 starts) for Double-A Tulsa before joining Oklahoma City.
Jackson carried that success over upon joining the Dodgers’ top affiliate, going 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA in two games (one start).
Jackson managed nerves in MLB debut
After a successful debut, Jackson shared some of the emotions he felt while pitching on a Major League mound for the first time. “It was awesome,” Jackson began.
“It was everything I thought it was going to be and more. It was weird. I didn’t have the nerves I thought I was going to have, so I’m very grateful for that. But that last pitch I threw, I really felt the energy of the crowd. It really was awesome. I don’t have words.”
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and more!
