June 18th, 2023
2,725.
That's the number of times Zach Remillard stepped up to the plate across almost eight years of each level of minor league baseball in the Chicago White Sox system before ever seeing a Major League pitch.
But when he did? Oh, the 518 great and former Albany Dutchmen star made the absolute most of it.
The Cohoes native, who became the second former Dutchmen to make it to the big leagues (‘14 Ernie Clement), became the first player in American League history to come off the bench in his MLB debut and reach base 4+ times when he made his debut Saturday in Seattle for the Chicago White Sox. The only time this feat was accomplished in the NL was by Ernie White of the St. Louis Cardinals over 73 years ago.
Better yet- he became the first player in the modern era (since 1901) to have both a game-tying hit and a go-ahead hit in the 9th inning or later in his MLB debut.
Remillard, who got his first call to The Show on Thursday after third baseman Yoán Moncada was placed on the injured list, entered to make his Major League debut in the bottom of the fourth after shortstop Tim Anderson left with right shoulder soreness. He would see his first action three batters in, catching J.P. Crawford’s pop up to end the inning.
His monumental night at the plate would begin in the following half inning, as he would take a five-pitch walk from Mariners starter Logan Gilbert in his first big league plate appearance.
“I took it one pitch at a time, tried to be patient, look for a pitch over the zone, and ended up getting on base with a walk,” Remillard told reporters postgame. “Just being able to slow the game down made me comfortable quick.”
After showing off some glovework with a Willie Mays-esque running basket catch towards foul ground in the bottom of the fifth, Remillard would lay down a picture perfect bunt against a relaxed Mariners defense for his first Major League hit off Justin Topa in the top of the seventh.
The heroics would begin for Remillard in the top of the ninth, as the La Salle grad would single through the left side past a diving Crawford to score Elvis Andrus from second and tie the game. After the team’s would trade a scoreless extra inning, Remillard would line a single into center off of Tayler Saucedo to again score Andrus and bring across the game-winning run for the White Sox.
“I looked at the scouting report and the biggest thing was maintain your strike zone,” Remillard mentioned about the mentality going into his game-winning hit. “Hunt the fastball, maintain the strike zone, and just be on time for something you’re looking for- and I ws able to do that.”
And to put a bowtie on it all, Crawford would ground out to Remillard for the final out of the storybook debut.
“I don't think you can fully put into words where this journey started 27 years ago, playing baseball, and what your dream is - it’s exactly what happened today,” Remillard said. “The amount of gratitude I have and how exciting it is to have my family here… it’s a moment I'll never forget for the rest of my life.”
