Before Wednesday night, Jake Woodford’s last taste of MLB action came with the Chicago White Sox in early June.
After getting shellacked in back-to-back starts, he was jettisoned, electing free agency after being designated for assignment.
Less than 48 hours ago, Bryan De La Cruz and reliever Jalen Beeks were playing for cellar dwellers as the trade deadline approached.
All three players joined the Pittsburgh Pirates (Woodford via promotion from Triple-A Indianapolis and De La Cruz and Beeks as a result of trades) for their series finale against Houston on Wednesday, a 5-4 loss with varying individual results.
The 27-year-old De La Cruz, arguably Pittsburgh’s centerpiece trade deadline acquisition, had a strong debut after arriving from the Miami Marlins.
He batted cleanup vs. the Astros and started in right field, going 2 for 4 with a pair of singles and a run.
Welcome to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bryan De La Cruz! ???? pic.twitter.com/jPqMm6vhti
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 1, 2024
De La Cruz sparked the Pirates’ four-run second inning, leading off with a single off Houston starter Framber Valdez.
He also collected another single in the eighth.
Bryan De La Cruz with a 109 MPH single for his 2nd hit in his Pirates debut pic.twitter.com/ExBjD0NBlj
— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) August 1, 2024
De La Cruz enjoyed an uneventful defensive night in right field.
At the time of his trade, De La Cruz was leading the Marlins in strikeouts (118), and in his first game in a Pirates uniform, he went down on strikes twice.
Woodford was a pleasant surprise, giving the Pirates five innings, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out three.
Signed by the Pirates to a minor-league deal in early June, Woodford stabilized in Indianapolis after a rough exit from the White Sox.
Over seven starts with the Indians, he went 1-2 with a 2.29 ERA. With the White Sox, he was 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA over two appearances.
“It’s been an up-and-down year for me, for sure,” Woodford said Wednesday on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show. “Was working on a lot of stuff, working really hard down in (Indianapolis), trying to get back here and back to competing at the big-league level.”
The Pirates turned to him Wednesday to fill in for Martin Perez, who was scheduled to start before being traded to the San Diego Padres.
Woodford, who threw 71 pitches (42 for strikes) and took a no-decision vs. the Astros, largely did his part.
“Just focused on what I can control has been a big emphasis for me this year,” he said. “Just take it one pitch at a time. That’s what I looked to do out there.”
Jake Woodford had himself a night in his Pirates debut:
— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) August 1, 2024
5.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
71 pitches, 42 strikes, 2 whiffs pic.twitter.com/AyAttZ1sag
He got no help from shortstop Oneil Cruz, who committed three errors that allowed as many Houston runs to score, all of which went unearned to Woodford.
“He did a nice job,” manager Derek Shelton said of Woodford. “Honestly, first time seeing him and didn’t really know what we were going to get out of him. For him to give us five innings after not having pitched for as long as he did and really maintaining (Houston’s) lineup. … Overall I thought he was really good.”
As for Beeks, acquired from the Colorado Rockies on Monday, his first Pirates outing was a mixed bag.
Beeks was the first man out of the bullpen in relief of Woodford and quickly recorded a groundout of Yordan Alvarez.
Yainer Diaz then singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Beeks battled back and got Jeremy Pena swinging for the second out, but Shelton decided to turn to Colin Holderman.
That decision proved costly as Holderman immediately gave up a go-ahead, two-run homer to pinch-hitter Mauricio Dubon.
Despite that, Beeks recorded a hold.
But responsible for Diaz on second base, he was charged for an earned run on Dubon’s homer.
