Steve Webb
PITTSBURGH, PA — In one of the worst-guarded secrets in baseball, Dave Roberts confirmed on Tuesday, that yes, prospect Ryan Pepiot will indeed be making his major league debut on Wednesday, getting the nod to start the series finale against the Pirates.
Pitching was already at a premium when the road trip started, but when the opening game against the Cubs got rained out, it meant that both Tyler Anderson and Clayton Kershaw would start on Saturday, making their starting in Wednesday’s game on short rest not a real possibility. And with Andrew Heaney still on the shelf, manager Dave Roberts knew he’d have to think outside the box a bit to get to the end of the road trip. He could have gone with a bullpen game, but instead, he announced that the 24-year-old Indiana native would be getting the ball on Wednesday afternoon.
Pepiot, a third round pick in 2019, is off to a good start at triple-A Oklahoma City this year. In 26.1 innings of work, he has a 2.05 ERA, and an impressive 36 strikeouts. Pepiot’s longest start was his most recent outing, during which he completed six innings and allowed two runs. His most dominant performance came April 22, when the Dodgers’ No. 2 pitching prospect had a season-high eight strikeouts and allowed three hits over five innings.
In anticipation of the move, Pepiot confirmed that he had friends and family with him in Pittsburgh, and should have a good rooting section on hand as he gets his baptism by fire into the big leagues. He features a mid-90s fastball, but the best pitch in his arsenal is thought to be his changeup, which is a great out pitch to have. He’s been knocked for his spotty control and general lack of athleticism, but as anyone who knows the Dodger organization can tell you, these team can turn a thrower into a pitcher pretty quickly.
Good luck, Ryan, let’s get your team on the plane in a good mood!
