Aug 31, 2024, 12:24 AM ET
ANAHEIM, Calif. — It was fitting Samuel Aldegheri came out to the theme song from “Rocky III” when he made his major league debut for the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night against the Seattle Mariners.
The 22-year-old left hander, who became the first Italian-born-and-raised player to pitch in the big leagues, warmed up while Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” played in the background.
Aldegheri was hoping he would be as successful as Rocky “The Italian Stallion” Balboa. Instead, he struggled early before bouncing back.
After giving up five unearned runs in the first, Aldegheri got through five innings. He gave up seven runs but only two were earned. He gave up seven hits, including a two-run homer to Julio Rodriguez in the fourth, with two walks and three strikeouts.
“I had a little bit of a hard time, but I bounced back pretty good. I’m happy,” Aldegheri said after the Angels’ 9-5 loss to the Mariners. “First time I was kind of nervous, but I’m happy.”
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Aldegheri is the fifth Italian-born pitcher to reach the majors and first since Marino Pieretti, who played for three teams during a six-year career that ended with Cleveland in 1950. Pieretti and three pitchers before him moved to the United States during their childhoods.
Alex Liddi was the first Italian-born-and-raised player to reach the majors. The infielder played in 61 games for Seattle from 2011 to 2013.
Fans in Italy were able to see the game on Apple TV since it was one of the two games on “Friday Night Baseball.”
Aldegheri said the past 24 hours have been a whirlwind since he found out that he was being promoted to the big leagues. His family jumped on the first plane to the United States and arrived at the ballpark with two outs in the first inning.
After the game, Aldegheri spent extended time on the field with his family before coming into the clubhouse.
“Two months ago I was playing High-A, a month ago I was with another organization and now I’m here in the bigs with the Angels,” he said. “Everything, it’s weird.”
Aldegheri, who became the eighth Italian-born player to reach the majors, was one of the prospects the Angels acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies when they traded reliever Carlos Estévez on July 27.
In four starts with Double-A Rocket City after the trade, Aldegheri was 0-2 with a 5.19 ERA.
He started the season with Jersey City, Philadelphia’s High-A team, before being called up to Double-A Reading in early July. He is 6-5 with a 3.59 ERA in 19 minor league outings this season.
Aldegheri began his professional career with Parmaclima Baseball Club in the Italian Serie A1 before being signed by the Phillies as an international free agent in 2019.
“I’m happy for myself, my family, but also for my country and the kids. I just showed them everybody can make it, so they have to believe in their dreams,” he said.
Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza, who managed Italy in the World Baseball Classic in 2023, was happy to hear about Aldegheri’s promotion and wished him “in boca al lupo.” The Italian translation is “into the wolf’s mouth” but it is an idiom used to wish theater performers or athletes good luck.
Piazza now lives in Parma, Italy, and is trying to help baseball develop in a nation where soccer continues to ignite Italians’ passions.
In a text message to The Associated Press, Piazza said baseball was brought to Italy by American servicemen during World War II and has enjoyed varying levels of popularity.
“The entire country of Italy is extremely proud and excited for the debut of Samuel. With his success we hope to start a new chapter of popularity and player development,” Piazza said.
After getting J.P. Crawford to fly out on the first pitch, Aldegheri allowed two of the next three Mariners to reach base. There were runners on second and third with two outs, but it looked like Aldegheri was going to get out of the inning when Jorge Polanco hit a line drive at Zach Neto. However, it went off the shortstop’s glove, leading to the first two runners scoring and unnerving the lefty.
Aldegheri then hit with Justin Turner with a curveball and Dylan Moore on a fastball to load the bases before Mitch Garver’s sharp grounder down the left-field line drove in two more. Victor Robles, the ninth batter in the inning, followed with an RBI base hit to center to make it 5-0.
Julio Rodriguez struck out looking to end the inning, which started a run of seven straight batters Aldegheri retired. Rodríguez though would connect on a fastball and put it over the wall for a two-run homer in the fourth inning.
“After that first inning he came back and got us through five. He made some adjustments but early in the game he was trying to shoot strikes in there and they were jumping all over the fastball,” Angels manager Ron Washington said of Aldegheri.
