WEYMOUTH, Mass. (June 15, 2022) -- Toronto Blue Jays left-handed pitcher Matt Gage became the first former PIttsfield Sun and the eighth-ever Futures League alum to make his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut last Monday, June 6.
A Siena College graduate who pitched for Pittsfield back in 2012, Gage worked a scoreless and hitless inning with two strikeouts to close the Blue Jays’ 8-0 win at Kansas City on the same day he was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo. One of his punchouts came against former No. 2 overall draft pick Bobby Witt Jr.
Prior to receiving the call to Toronto before Monday’s game, the 29-year-old Gage had appeared in 16 games for the Triple-A Bisons this season. He was 1-2 with seven saves, a 1.08 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 16.2 innings. International League hitters had just a .167 average against him.
Gage was originally a 10th-round draft pick of the San Francisco Giants in 2014 and had pitched for the Giants, New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations, as well as in independent and Mexican leagues prior to making his MLB debut during his first year as a Blue Jay.
Gage pitched in three Futures League games during the summer of 2012, which was Pittsfield’s first year as a league member. He went 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 16.1 innings as a starting pitcher.
Gage is the second league alum to make his MLB debut in 2022 after former Torrington Titans shortstop Jeremy Pena broke spring camp with the Houston Astros and has emerged as the top rookie hitter in the American League this season. Additionally, the Los Angeles Angels’ Andrew Velazquez was originally slated to be teammates with Gage in 2012, but he signed with the Diamondbacks out of high school before playing a game for Pittsfield.
Gage’s brother, Dave, also has a connection to the Futures League as he spent the summer of 2015 as the field manager of the former Wachusett Dirt Dawgs after previously serving as Pittsfield’s pitching coach. Dave is currently the head baseball coach at Stevenson University in Owings Mills, Md.
For the latest Futures League news and information throughout the year, visit thefuturesleague.com and follow the league’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.
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