The Yankees were off Thursday as they headed back east from a trip to Oakland and Anaheim, but many in the organization were likely watching the Athletics’ game on Thursday.
Lefty Ken Waldichuk, one of the players dealt to Oakland in the Frankie Montas/Lou Trivino deal, was called up by the A’s on Thursday and made his MLB debut in Washington, throwing 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball against the Nationals.
Waldichuk threw 57 of his 93 pitches for strikes, but got into trouble immediately, allowing his first MLB run before recording an out when outfielder Lane Thomas doubled to open the game, and he was then singled home by Joey Meneses.
The lefty was in and out of trouble all game after that, but did not allow another run. He escaped a first-and-third, one-out situation later in the first, worked around a leadoff triple in the second, and in the third, escaped unscathed from an inning where there were two on with no outs and the bases loaded with two outs.
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Waldichuk retired six in a row after loading the bases in the third, and departed with two outs in the fifth after walking Nelson Cruz. Joel Payamps got out of the inning two batters later, so Waldichuk’s final line was 4 2/3 innings with one run on five hits, with four walks and six strikeouts.
A rocky debut for the No. 3 A’s prospect, but one he escaped with a no-decision after No. 1 prospect Shea Langeliers’ solo homer in the fifth tied the game at 1-1. He had previously made four starts at Triple-A Las Vegas, going 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA, and was 6-4 with a 2.84 ERA overall in 21 starts in the minors between two Yankees affiliates (Double-A Somerset and Triple-A SWB) and Las Vegas.
Waldichuk’s debut was supposed to be a matchup of prospects, where he would have faced top Nats prospect Cade Cavalli, but Cavalli was placed on the IL with shoulder inflammation on Tuesday, and Paolo Espino got the start instead.
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN
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