Chase Petty, the 21-year-old Reds prospect, had his moment on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers’ juggernaut lineup. His first-ever Cactus League start. He struck out four, walked none, and gave up one run on four hits. He’ll never forget this one. Here’s the details.
Petty’s Big Moment Under the Lights
The Camden, New Jersey native took the mound at Camelback Ranch and got to prove himself against one of the best lineups in baseball. And he did. Over three innings he struck out four, walked none, gave up one run on four hits and was lighting up the gun. The only blemish was a solo homer by Mookie Betts but even that couldn’t overshadow what he did.
“ Probably the biggest moment of my career so far,” Petty said after the game. “Seeing that lineup earlier today and knowing who I was going to face I was excited. It put a smile on my face because this is where I want to be—I want to see if I belong.”
Facing a lineup with MVP caliber players like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández is no joke. Those four guys hit 128 homers last year and have five MVP awards between them. But Petty held his own, giving up three hits and one RBI in seven plate appearances.
After Freeman doubled in the first inning Petty stranded him. In the third Ohtani stretched a single into a double attempt but was tagged out. Despite the solo shot by Betts Petty remained calm and threw strikes and attacked hitters.
“He (Petty) was facing their A lineup,” said Reds manager Terry Francona. “He attacked the zone and when he gave up the homer to Mookie he came back and threw more strikes. That was fun to watch.”
A Family Affair
For Petty this was more than just another spring training game. It was a career milestone he wanted to share with his closest family and friends. He sent out texts to make sure they were all tuned in as the game was being broadcast on MLB Network due to Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki’s debut. He made sure everyone knew it was a game to watch.
“I sent texts out to my family and friends to make sure they were tuned in,” Petty said. “These are the moments you want to share with the people who have been with you your whole life.”
While most of the media attention was on Sasaki, Yamamoto and Ohtani, Petty stole the show. The press box was packed and an auxiliary tent outside the stadium was filled with media members eager to cover the game. By the end of the night Petty had given them plenty to write about.
Building Confidence and Making Statements
Petty isn’t afraid to dream big. After Tuesday’s outing, he said he believes he can pitch with the best in the league.
“I feel like I showed the coaches I can be right up there with the big boys,” Petty said. “I think I have the stuff to be a Cy Young winner and one of the top pitchers in the game. It’s all about believing in myself and making my pitches.”
He’s not being humble. There’s still work to be done. Manager Terry Francona says performances like this need to become habit for Petty to solidify his spot in the rotation.
“He’s a good kid and he’s learning. We hope he learns fast.”
Why This Matters
Facing the Dodgers—a team stacked with talent and off a World Series championship—was a test for Petty. With Ohtani, Betts and Freeman in the lineup, the pressure was huge. But Petty passed the test and showed he has the stuff and mindset to do it at the highest level.
This wasn’t just about the numbers; it was a statement to the Reds organization. If Petty can build on this, he’ll be on the big league roster sooner rather than later.
Leave a Reply