With Bobby Miller, Emmitt Scherzer, and Ryan Pepiot rotating through the starting rotation, the Los Angeles Dodgers have another unlikely newcomer. This time, it’s Kyle Hurt, 26, who has made a successful debut in the bullpen.
Hurt received his big league call-up on April 13 against the San Diego Padres. Arriving at Dodger Stadium just over 30 minutes before the 7:10 p.m. start time, Hurt got his dream major league mound appearance as the third pitcher in the eighth inning with the Dodgers leading 9-2.
He was hit right out of the gate by San Diego’s center field. He retired the side in order on nine pitches, getting Fernando Tatis Jr. to ground out to second, Juan Soto to shortstop and Manny Machado to third. He induced three straight grounders with his primary weapon, his changeup.
Then, in the ninth, he showed off his strikeout ability. He struck out Garrett Cooper on a changeup, Trent Grisham on a 95.9 mph (154.3 km/h) four-seam fastball, and Matthew Batten on a changeup. His two-hit, three-strikeout perfection completed the Dodgers’ 11-2 victory.
Hurt’s pitch total for the day was 24, with 19 strikes and five walks. He was aggressive with his pitches, topping out at 97.9 mph (157.6 km/h) and averaging 95.6 mph (153.9 km/h), throwing 12 pitches equally between his four-seam fastball and changeup. Induced four swings and misses with his changeup and two with his four-seam fastball.
“Every pitcher I talked to in the bullpen during the game said, ‘Don’t change anything, just be yourself,’ and that’s what I did today,” Hurt said after the game, according to Dodger Insider, adding, “It was a lot of fun. I hope I can do it again.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “The way he threw was very special. He didn’t run away,” Roberts said, praising Hurt’s aggressive pitching. Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman said, “From the side, you could see how hot his fastball was. It was a different kind of heat, and then he throws a changeup.”
Drafted by the Miami Marlins in the fifth round (134th overall) of the 2020 draft, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound right-hander was acquired in a February 2021 trade with left-hander Alex Vecchia for right-hander Dylan Floro. He went through developmental ball with the Dodgers, but struggled with command issues that delayed his big league call-up.
But he showed promise this year, going 4-4 with a 3.87 ERA in 25 games (16 starts, 88⅓ innings) at Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City. He had decent command of his pitches and struck out a whopping 145 batters in 88 1/3 innings, good for 14.8 per nine. His strong debut, coupled with a season-ending major league call-up, opened the door for a postseason roster spot.스포츠토토
The Dodgers have several relievers on the disabled list, including Daniel Hudson, who is out for the season, as well as Joe Kelly, Yoenis Almonte, and Gus Barnand. With the lack of a strong relief bullpen, Hurt has emerged as the Dodgers’ newest hidden card.