Braves’ Didier Fuentes debuts vs. Marlins as youngest active player in the majors

MIAMI (AP) — Braves right-hander Didier Fuentes became the youngest active player in the majors and youngest Atlanta starter since 1969 when he debuted in Friday’s 6-2 loss to the Miami Marlins.

Atlanta called up the 20 year old from Triple-A Gwinnett earlier in the day — three days after his birthday — to start the first of a three-game series at Miami.

Fuentes took the loss after giving up four runs and six hits in five innings. He also struck out three and walked one. His first major-league strikeout was against Dane Myers in the second, and his fastball reached 98.1 mph.

“I was a little nervous in the first inning. I’m not going to lie,” Fuentes said through an interpreter. “It was my first inning in the big leagues, but I was going to give 100 percent.”

Fuentes is the third-youngest starting pitcher in Braves history, only older than Charlie Vaughan and Mike McQueen. Vaughan debuted on September 3, 1966, at 18. McQueen pitched his first game on October 2, 1969, at 19. He’s also be the youngest MLB starter to debut since Julio Urías on May 27, 2016, for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I had to go online and see what he looked like, honestly,” Braves manager Brian Snitker quipped before Friday’s game.

Snitker said afterward he was impressed by the youngster’s poise.

“I’ll tell you what – that fastball in the bottom of the zone is some kind of live,” Snitker said. “I thought his secondary stuff was better than what I expected. There’s a lot of pitch ability there.”

“I looked at him between innings and he wasn’t overwhelmed by anything,” he added. “I was very impressed with him.”

Agustín Ramírez hit a three-run shot off Fuentes in the third that put Miami up 4-0, but Fuentes finished his outing with two scoreless innings.

“Those are things that happen in baseball,” he said. “I just tried to be relaxed and calm and continue to put in the work.”

What made the Colombia native most proud was playing in front of his father, who flew in for the game and caught a foul ball from Austin Riley in the first inning.

“I’m eternally grateful to my dad as well as my mom,” Fuentes said. “Unfortunately, she couldn’t make this game. For my dad it’s a dream to watch me pitch no matter the league. Big leagues, Single A, Double A. That was his dream – to watch me pitch.”

Fuentes, who is rated on MLB Pipeline as the Braves’ No. 10 prospect, posted a 4.81 ERA at three levels this season. His most recent start was his debut with Gwinnett, where he scattered three hits over 4 2/3 innings while striking out six. In 33 minor league starts, he averaged about 11 strikeouts per nine innings.

“It’s a good arm,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “Major league debut, other than the one (pitch) to Ramírez, he gave his team a chance and got them to the portion of the game where the could turn it over to the pen. So good arm and good stuff.”

Fuentes’ start provided rest for the regular members of Atlanta’s rotation as the Braves prepare for a four-game series at the New York Mets next week.

The Braves entered Friday on a three-game winning streak after sweeping the Mets to extend New York’s losing streak to six games. Atlanta began the day trailing the Mets and Phillies by 10 games in the NL East.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb