Paxton Schultz saves the Blue Jays bullpen in record-tying Major League debut

Schultz inherited runners on the corners with two outs and promptly got Donovan Solano to chase a high fastball, using five pitches to get out of the inning. First strikeout and out of a tricky situation? Check.

The right-hander returned for a clean start in the top of the third and promptly allowed a leadoff single to Luke Raley. Unfazed, Schultz sat down two of the next three batters while also getting Leo Rivas to ground into a forceout. Both of his Ks that inning came via the swinging strikeout. The fourth inning saw Schultz get four outs, as a leadoff strikeout to Julio Rodriguez saw the outfielder land on second when Tyler Heineman’s throw to first base sailed into right field. Schultz continued marching forward, striking out Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena before getting Mitch Garver to lineout to first base – another clean inning for the newcomer.

The Utah product came back out for the fifth inning, pitching another clean frame, which included striking out Luke Raley on four pitches, and the prospect pitcher was tasked with the sixth inning as well, which was entering ‘second at-bat’ territory for the Mariners’ top of the order. Rivas generated a single through the left side, putting a runner on first for the 1-2-3 bats, but Schultz handled those as well. A flyout and a forceout had Raleigh step up to the plate with two outs on the board, and after a seven-pitch battle, the M’s catcher chased a 93.8 MPH fastball away to end the inning, giving the Blue Jays reliever eight punchouts on the day with 17 whiffs.

Not only was it just an impressive debut for Schultz, who allowed just two hits and zero walks on the day, he tied a Major League record for a debut for a relief pitcher by punching out eight Mariners batters, which included a notorious Raleigh twice.

He commanded the zone from start to finish, producing a 78.1% strike rate through 4 1/3 innings and 64 pitches, the most he had thrown all year, dating back to his outings in Buffalo. Schultz was mixing all four of his pitches to effective results, utilizing every offering regardless of which side the batter was standing on, and not a single Seattle batter pulled a ball in the air during his appearance – he had them fooled from start to finish.

It’s an impressive debut that not only likely keeps him around, but what he did, to go the length that he did, helped save this bullpen from future issues down the line as the club gets ready for another series in Houston tonight.

We have seen countless times where the rookie pitcher has to come in and wear the outing, being the sacrificial lamb to help the team for a better cause while he gets pummeled for runs, but Schultz was able to not only pitch four solid innings, he bridged the gap that didn’t require extra arms to come in and to get through the outing, saving those arms for today. Nobody wants to see Yimi Garcia have to come in an absolute nothing of a game, and after Schultz, the Jays turned to Tate and Mason Fluharty to finish the contest. It didn’t go the way Jays fans had hoped, with the bats squandering chances as they climbed back from the deficit that Lucas had left with Rowdy Tellez tacking on a late home run as well, but this could have been a whole lot worse for the upcoming road series if Schultz had duplicated the southpaw’s results.

A hat tip to the 27-year-old, who tied a Major League record in his debut and has likely earned some leeway to continue pitching in the big leagues for the time being.