Jhony Brito was Johnny Bravo in his Sunday afternoon major league debut!
New York baseball fans were raving about Mets' starter, Kodai Senga, for his sterling major league debut on Sunday afternoon by striking out eight, getting out of a first-inning jam and finishing the day by throwing 88 pitches in 5 ⅓ innings in the Mets’ 5-1 victory over the Marlins. And across town, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton received the billing in the New York tabloids for hitting home runs in the third inning that accounted for 3 of 6 runs in the Yankees’ 6-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
This day belongs to Jhony Brito
This day, however, should belong to Yankees' rookie starter Jhony Brito, who was magnificent in his major league debut. In Brito's first major league start, he struck out six batters, allowing just two hits and one walk in five shutout innings, for a total of 76 pitches. Brito used his changeup to finish the Giants in all six of his strikeouts. He knew how to find his location in getting strikes. He managed to find his way out of the first inning in a long long at-bat battle with Joc Pederson. At one point, he struck out five in a row, including striking out the side in the third inning. After J.D. Davis had the hitters count in the fourth inning with a runner on base, Brito induced Davis to ground into a double play and Pederson flew out after two pitches to end the fourth inning.
Being a professional athlete comes with an immense amount of pressure, but playing in the Bronx is a whole other level of pressure. In fact, the Bombers have brought in players who could not handle it. There have been many quality and star players who turned into a different player and folded once they put on the pinstripes. Making a first impression matters more than anything else. It’s something fans can latch on to forever. It’s something fans can feel secure and confident about what he can do for their team. Brito held his composure as if he were a veteran starter. He worked fast and he pitched like the moment was not too big for him. Not only did he impress the fans, but he also made the Yankees brain trust think about what he can do over the long haul. A long major league season requires depth, so he has positioned himself to be a factor in the Yankees’ season. He could be of immense valuable later this year.
“I always thought about having a good debut,” Brito said in a postgame interview (translated by an interpreter). “You have to be confident to do your job. If you start thinking about bad outcomes, that’s usually when things get out of hand. I’m very happy.”
When will we see Brito again?
Since, the Yankees currently have three of their starters in Frankie Montas (shoulder surgery), Luis Severino (right lat strain) and Carlos Rodon (forearm muscle strain) on the injured list, they called Brito up just for the day to get them through the week since they won't be off until Friday. However, given Severino's history on the IL in recent years, Brito may become more of a familiar face. Immediately following the game, the Yankees sent the 25-year-old righty to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre. They will go back on a four-man rotation this week with a day off later this week.
Brito wowed the Yankees' coaching staff in his spring season with 10 strikeouts, and three runs earned in 13 innings for a 2.08 ERA. With these impressive stats, he was able to establish himself as No. 8 on the starting rotation depth chart. They like the stuff he brings out on the mound.
According to MLB Correspondent Bryan Hoch, Yankees' Manager Aaron Boone nudged a few coaches at training camp saying “He can help us.”
Not only were coaches, teammates, and Yankees fans impressed by Brito's debut, but the Giants' announcers Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow tipped their hats, raving about his stuff throughout the Giants' telecast. Their insights matter since they once played the game.
The Yankees have routinely developed good hitters, but struggle to develop productive arms, which explains their postseason drought at 13 years and counting. The Yankees need Brito to develop into a reliable arm. Their starting rotation does not have much depth in terms of quality to survive a long playoff series against a team like the Houston Astros. They can’t rely on Severino for longevity's sake given his IL history. With Clarke Schmidt and Domingo German being question marks in the rotation and the uncertain health of Montas and Severino, we should expect to see more of Brito this season. If he keeps this pace, he most certainly could make a strong case for to be a Game 3 starter in the playoffs.
While it's just one start, and this is the first time major league hitters are getting a feel for Brito, he was facing major league hitters, so he must have done something right. His first start earned him the wrestling-style championship belt that is awarded to a Yankee that contributed to a win.
Time will tell, and we will most certainly get another look at Brito in the Bronx. Can he maintain this? Can he even be better? Jhony Brito's first major league start was majestic, and it was our first taste of what he is capable of, with bigger things in store.
You can read Leslie's Jersey Sporting News columns on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.
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