TORONTO — Alan Roden‘s second major-league at-bat offered a learning experience and also a lifetime memory.
Playing on Thursday in his first major-league game, the Toronto Blue Jays outfielder was facing Baltimore Orioles right-hander Zach Eflin in the sixth inning and managed to work a 3-0 count.
Eflin’s next pitch was a cutter outside of the strike zone. Roden took the pitch and lowered his bat ever so slightly, as if he was going to drop it before jogging down to first on a ball four. The left-handed hitter quickly lifted the bat back up to his shoulder, though, once he realized the umpire had called it for a strike.
It was a welcome-to-the-big-leagues type of moment for the 25-year-old Roden. You never want to show up an umpire so you can bet Roden filed that in his memory.
The following pitch was a sinker, this time even further outside the zone, and Roden bounced it past a diving second baseman for his first major-league hit.
“You’ll take it any way you can get it,” Roden said in a quiet Blue Jays clubhouse following a 12-2 Opening Day loss to the Orioles.
“Obviously, it’s a good feeling. Exciting for it to happen.”
After shooting up the minor-league system, Roden impressed Blue Jays staff during spring training with his composed, business-like demeanour. That remained intact once he made the team out of camp and in the days leading up to his debut.
Manager John Schneider remarked that when he informed Roden that he’d be batting ninth and playing right field to start Thursday’s contest, Roden responded almost matter-of-factly, saying, “All right, let’s go,” and “See you tomorrow.”
True to form, Roden barely let out a smile when he was congratulated by first base coach Mark Budzinski after his single.
“I’ve been prepared. I’ve been ready to go for this game for a long time,” said Roden. “Been excited for it for the past week. And so, when [Schneider] told me, it was just an affirmation on my expectation of what I want to do.”
Roden, whose parents were at Rogers Centre to take in the game, says teammates have offered him advice and brought home the message that the game is the same one he has always played.
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When he took his position during the first inning in front of 40,734 fans, though, it did feel a little different, he admitted.
“I never played in front of that many people, so there was definitely some jitters in there,” said Roden. “But for the most part, I think I felt pretty good, felt pretty comfortable. Drawing on past experience really helped and just being self-assured as a player helped me along with that.”
From Schneider’s point of view, the rookie was just fine.
“He was great from the minute he got here to his work in the cage and throughout the game,” said the manager. “Looked like his normal at-bats, which is saying a lot for a young guy. Awesome that he got his first hit — hopefully, it’s the first of many — but I thought he handled the whole day really well.”
Roden’s path to the Opening Day roster was made simpler by the fact that centre fielder Daulton Varsho began the season on the injured list while rehabbing his right shoulder. Schneider said that he opted to play Roden in right field on Thursday and George Springer in centre in part because it was “one less thing for [Roden]” to think about on a hectic first day.
Yet, going forward, Roden will likely see time in centre and could continue hitting at the bottom of the order. His plate approach and high on-base capabilities make him a nice fit in the No. 9 spot because he can turn the lineup over to the top three hitters, Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Anthony Santander.
That formula almost played out in the sixth inning on Thursday after Roden singled. However, Bichette, Guerrero Jr. and Santander were not able to muster anything against Eflin, each flying out to the outfield.
That was pretty much the story on Thursday. The Orioles suppressed Blue Jays hitters while clubbing six homers of their own. Roden was a bright spot for the home side, though, and in his third plate appearance, he offered even more to like.
Facing left-hander Keegan Akin in the eighth inning, Roden worked a 3-1 count. The fifth pitch of the at-bat was a four-seamer on the outside of the zone, nearly in the same spot as earlier in the game when he lowered his bat.
Roden took the pitch but this time, he didn’t assume anything. His bat stayed on his shoulder and he dug his spikes in the dirt. Then, after a brief pause, home plate umpire Lance Barksdale informed him that the pitch was in fact a ball and Roden could head to first base.
Lesson learned already.
