Pirates James McDonald Roughed Up In Gulf Coast League
We had a dream last night that the Pirates got pitching help from an unlikely source. Crazy dream. Yeh, it was about JMaKKKK putting it all together and becoming a dominating starting pitcher once again.
It’s just what the Bucs need.
But if the dream is to come true, it’s off to a really rough beginning. It seems James McDonald has been trying to bounce back for a long time now and the next time he heads to the mound, he will be trying again.
What triggered the dream must have been the Neal Huntington Show yesterday. During the show, Huntington mentioned JMac and being in the Pirates Major League bullpen in the same sentence. The Bucs GM mentioned that McDonald would need to prove that he could earn his way back to the Majors by performing well in his minor league assignments.
The Pirates started him today for the GCL Pirates. The Pirates right-hander was facing the GCL Yankees2 team who brought in a 32-19 record.
JMac didn’t make it out of the first inning. King James got two outs against the lowest of the Yankees farm leagues. McDonald got a flyout and a strikeout while giving up two hits and two earned runs. The righty walked a batter and threw a wild pitch in his .2 inning (singular) of work.
The lanky righty got the first batter looking on the third strike. After back-to-back doubles, the wild pitch moved the runner to third base. A walk followed and then a sacrifice fly to left field made it 2-0 Yanks.
McDonald was headed to the showers
GCL Yankees2 Bottom of the 1st
- Thairo Estrada called out on strikes.
- Luis Torrens doubles (7) on a fly ball to center fielder Austin Meadows.
- Miguel Andujar doubles (10) on a fly ball to left fielder Enyel Vallejo. Luis Torrens scores.
- With Nathan Mikolas batting, wild pitch by James McDonald, Miguel Andujar to 3rd.
- Nathan Mikolas walks.
- Jose Javier out on a sacrifice fly to left fielder Enyel Vallejo. Miguel Andujar scores.
- Pitching Change: Jimy Hernandez replaces James McDonald
Here is the line for McDonald.
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