Seth Johnson’s journey to his first Major League start has been anything but simple.
After being traded to the Phillies from the Baltimore Orioles at the deadline, he’s moved quickly through the minors to get to this big moment.
Now, he’s about to make his first MLB debut, which, of course, is a huge milestone in his career.
Earlier in the season, the Phillies’ pitching lineup stayed solid while other teams had to juggle players due to injuries or poor performances.
But by midseason, changes became necessary. Johnson and a few other pitchers were called up to start after the team dealt with some rotation issues.
He’ll be the fifth Phillies pitcher since July to get his first season start, following pitchers like Michael Mercado and Tyler Phillips.
Before the trade, Johnson pitched for the Double-A Bowie Bay Sox, a minor league team for the Orioles.
Then, right at the trade deadline, the Phillies picked him up along with Moises Chace in exchange for Gregory Soto.
In less than six weeks, Johnson went from being traded to making his Major League debut—a dream come true for him.
“It’s unreal,” he said, still trying to wrap his head around the moment.
Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies’ president of baseball operations, also didn’t expect Johnson to need him in the rotation this quickly.
They liked what they saw in him when they traded for him, but they didn’t think he’d be starting so soon.
Johnson earned this chance with his impressive performances in the minors, going 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in his first three starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley after getting promoted from Double-A.
One of the key things Johnson noticed after joining the Phillies was the change in pitching philosophy.
The Orioles relied heavily on data and analytics, while the Phillies struck a balance between the numbers and more traditional baseball strategies.
“I’ve been really enjoying it so far. It’s kind of simplified everything, just going out here and trying to pitch,” he explained.
Now, as he steps into his first start against the Miami Marlins, it’s a big test.
He’ll be facing off against Marlins pitcher Edward Cabrera, who has a record of 3-6 and a 5.33 ERA. Though Cabrera was supposed to pitch earlier in the series, he had to skip a start due to a migraine.
For Johnson, this game could decide how long he sticks with the big league team, especially with other pitchers like Kolby Allard possibly returning soon.
Unfortunately for Johnson, his debut didn’t go as planned. After allowing nine runs on eight hits and three walks in just 2 1/3 innings, he made history—but not the good kind.
Johnson became only the second pitcher in over 100 years to give up that many runs and walks without recording a single strikeout in his debut.
It was a tough outing, and Johnson, commendably, didn’t shy away from admitting it.
“Definitely my worst outing of the year,” he said, although he expressed gratitude for the experience, especially with his family watching from the stands.
Commenting on the performance, Marlins manager Skip Schumaker praised his team for taking advantage of Johnson’s control issues.
In particular, they were patient at the plate and jumped on his mistakes. Phillies manager Rob Thomson, though, stayed optimistic about Johnson’s future.
He saw potential in the young pitcher’s delivery and acknowledged that nerves probably played a role in the poor outing.
After pulling Johnson from the game, Thomson talked with him in the dugout, telling him to keep his head up.
“Everybody goes through these types of things,” he told Johnson, reassuring him that his stuff was good, but he needed to fine-tune his execution.
During the game, Johnson left too many pitches in the hitting zone, allowing hitters to take advantage.
It’s clear that Johnson’s path to the majors hasn’t been easy, especially after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2022.
This is his first full season since the surgery, and while Sunday’s game didn’t go as hoped, the Phillies still see a lot of potential in him.
Being a former first-round pick with good numbers in the minors, Johnson is someone the Phillies are keeping an eye on.
For now, it’s unclear what Johnson’s next step will be. His performance on Sunday wasn’t ideal, but Thomson is confident he’ll get another shot in the future.
Whether that’s sooner or later, Johnson’s main focus is on improving and making the most of his next opportunity.
The Phillies, meanwhile, are gearing up for a postseason run, and they’ll need depth in their pitching rotation.
All Johnson can do now is stay ready and prepare for his next chance to prove himself in the big leagues.
