On Sunday (August 6). Reds’23-year-old righty Lyon Richardson made his MLB debut – starting against the Nationals in Cincinnati. His performance, while not what he had hoped for, did attract the attention of baseball trivia buffs. Richardson started his MLB career by giving up home runs on each of his first two MLB pitches – to Nationals’ shortstop CJ Abrams (his 11th HR of the year) on a 95.5-mph fastball and to RF Lane Thomas (his 19th) on a 96.7-mph heater. Ultimately, Richardson went three innings and gave up four hits, three walks and four runs, while fanning two, in the Reds’ 6-3 loss.
Now for that trivia “hook.” According to STATS, Richardson is the only pitcher in the past fifty years to give up homers on his first two MLB pitchers. Taking it a step further, it appears he is the only MLB pitcher ever to “accomplish” that feat.
Baseball Roundtable searched box scores of the for the 79 pitchers listed by Baseball-Almanac.com as having allowed a home run to the first MLB batter they ever faced and found only one other pitcher who allowed home runs to the first two batters he faced – the Yankees’ Danny Rios on May 30, 1997 – and he did it in a span of nine pitches. More on that in a bit, but first some background Richardson.
Richardson was a second-round Reds’ draft pick in 2018 (out of Jensen Beach, FL, High School – where he was 7-0, 0.58 as a senior). Richardson got off to a bit of a rocky start and missed the 2022 season after Tommy John surgery. He came back strong this season, working his way up through A, Double-A and Triple-A – going a combined 0-2, 1.86 with 81 strikeouts in 58 innings over 19 starts. In those 58 minor-league frames, Richardson gave up just two home runs. As far as the rough start to his MLB career, two observations: 1) He is now officially a major-leaguer and that puts him at the highest level of his profession; 2) a fellow name Bob Gibson gave up a home run to the first MLB batter he ever faced and he did pretty well as a major-leaguer.
Now back to the only other player I could find who had given up long balls to the first two MLB batters he faced. Danny Rios, a 72nd Round pick in the 1990 Draft, made his MLB with the Yankees on May 30, 1997. He relieved starter Ramiro Mendoza in the top of the fourth inning, with New York trailing Boston 4-0, two-on and one out. The first batter Rios faced was SS and number-three batter Will Cordero, who hit a three-run homer on a 2-0 pitch. Next up was 1B Mo Vaughn, who went deep on a 3-2 offering. Rios ended up pitching 1 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on four hits (three home runs), walking two and fanning one. Rios pitched in just two MLB seasons (1997 Yankees & 1998 Royals). He went 0-1, 9.31 in seven appearances.
As I noted, Rios and Richardson are the only two pitchers I could find who gave up long balls to the first two MLB batters they faced, but along the way I did find some interesting things about a few of the pitchers who gave up a home run to the first MLB batter they faced.
Turn About Is Fair Play
Dave Eiland made his MLB debut with the Yankees on August 3, 1988 – starting on the mound against the Brewers In Milwaukee. The first batter he faced was Milwaukee 2B and future Hall of Famer Paul Molitor. Molitor welcomed Eiland to the big leagues with a home run to center on a 1-2 pitch. That home run would be the only run Eiland gave up in seven innings of work (three hits, two walks, three whiffs). Eiland went on to pitch in ten MLB seasons (1988-93, 1995, 1998-2000), going in 12-27, 5.74. The reason he caught The Roundtable’s eye was for something that happened four seasons after his MLB debut.
It was on August 10, 1992, when Eiland was with the Padres. They were facing the Dodgers, in San Diego, and Eiland drew the start against Bob Ojeda. This was back when pitchers came to the plate in the National League and Eiland got his first MLB at bat with two out and one on in the bottom of the second inning. He drove a 2-2 offering from Ojeda to deep left center for a two-run homer. In the process, Eiland became the only player to give up a home run to the first batter he faced as a pitcher and hit a home run the first time he came to the plate as a hitter. It was, by the way, Eiland’s only career MLB home run (he had just 27 MLB plate appearances)>
Boom! Then on to the All Star Game. Two Times.
Only two players have made an MLB All Star team in the same season they gave up home run to the first MLB batter they faced in their careers.
Hideki Okajima made his MLB debit for the Red Sox on April 2, 2007 (after 12 seasons in Japan). He came on to open the bottom of the sixth, with the Red Sox down 5-1 to the Royals. Royals’ C John Buck laced Okajima’s first major-league pitch to deep CF for a home run. Okajima went on to pitch 1 2/3 innings that game, giving up just one more hit. Why does he rate a mention here? Okajima may have given up a home run on his first MLB pitch – but after that booming 2007 start to hit MLB career- he went on to make the 2007 American League All Star team. (He was 2-0, 0.83 with four saves -in 39 games – at the break.) Okajima pitched in six MLB seasons (2007-11, 2013, going 17-8, 3.09 with six saves (266 appearances).
Like Okajima, Masahiro Tanaka came to MLB after starting his career in Japan (seven seasons). He made his MLB debut with the Yankees on April 4, 2014 – starting against the Blue Jays in Toronto. Blue Jays’ leadoff hitter LF Melky Cabrera took Tanaka deep on a 1-1 pitch to welcome Tanaka to the majors. Tanaka was unfazed by the rude introduction to MLB. He went on to pitch seven innings of three-run (two earned), six-hit, eight-strikeout ball to pick up the win. Tanaka, who made the All Star team that season, was a sparkling 12-4, 2.51 at the break. He suffered elbow pain that July and went on the disabled list. He returned in September and finished the season at 13-5, 2.77. He pitched in seven MLB seasons (2014-20 … Yankees), going 78-46, 3.74. He made one more All Star team, (2019).
Oh, Come On, I have to Start My Career Against This Guy
Okay, if your story has Babe Ruth in it, it’s probably a good one.
Philadelphia A’s righty Bobby Coombs took to an MLB mound for the first time on June 8, 1933 – and the first batter he faced was none other than Babe Ruth.
Coombs came on in the top of the ninth, with the Athletics up 14-10. The Bambino took him to deep to right for his 664th career round tripper. After Ruth’s blast, Coombs retired 1B Lou Gehrig, RF Ben Chapman and 2B Tony Lazzeri in order (all on ground outs).
Coombs had an unusual, career. He went directly from Duke University – where he had excelled in football, basketball, track and baseball (where he was 19-1 on the mound) – to the major leagues. So, Ruth was also the first batter Coombs ever faced as a professional. After going 0-1, 7.47 in 21 games for the 1933 Athletics, Coombs opened the 1934 season at Double-A Syracuse. He did not return to the major leagues for ten seasons (a 122-124, 4.06 minor-league record, primarily at Double-A). In 1943, he was back in the majors, this time with the Giants, where he went 0-1, 12.94 in nine games. Coombs went on to coach baseball at Williams College from 1946-73.
Williams College plays its home baseball games at Bobby Coombs Field.
Bob Gibson – Yeah, He Did Okay
Bob Gibson made his MLB debut with the Cardinals on April 15, 1955 – relieving in the seventh inning, with the Cardinals trailing the Dodgers (in LA) 3-0. The first batter he faced was the number-eight hitter, 3B Jim Baxes, who lashed a 2-0 pitch for a home run to left-center. Baxes, by the way, went .246-17-39 in 88 games in 1959, his only MLB season. Gibson, of course, went on to the Hall of Fame. Gibson was 251-174, 2.91 over his 17-season MLB career – with 255 complete games, 56 shutouts and 3,117 strikeouts in 3,884 1/3 innings. He was a two-time Cy Young Award winner and the 1968 NL MVP.
Bert Blyleven – Maybe Less of a Surprise Than Gibson
Bert Blyleven, like Gibson, pitched his way into the Hall of Fame after giving up a dinger to the first MLB batter he faced. It came on June 5, 1970, with the 19-year-old Blyleven starting for the Twins in Washington. The first MLB batter he faced was Senators’ RF Lee Maye, who homered to right. Blyleven seem unperturbed, as he pitched seven five-hit, one-run innings for the win. He walked one and fanned seven. The Maye homer would be one of 430 (ninth all-time in MLB) Blyleven would surrender in his 22-season MLB career. Blyleven holds the record for the most home runs allowed in an MLB season at 50 (1986 Twins). Over his career, Blyleven went 287-250, 3.31, with 3,701 strikeouts in 4,970 innings. He also notched 242 complete games and 60 shutouts.
Bill Macdonald – Turned Things Around Pretty Quickly
Righty Bill Macdonald made his MLB debut for the Pirates on May 6, 1950. He came on in eighth inning, facing the Giants’ Bobby Thomson, who would (of course) become known for a different home run. Anyway, Thomson touched Macdonald for a three-run homer. Macdonald was then replaced on the mound by Woody Main. Macdonald is mentioned here because, in his next appearance – a May 23 start at Philadelphia – he twirled three-hit shutout (one walk – seven whiffs), lowering his MLB earned run average from infinity to 1.00. The righty pitched in two MLB seasons (1950 & 1953 Pirates), going 8-11, 4.66.
Not a Pretty Scorecard
John Wasdin made his MLB debut for the A’s on August 24, 1995. The A’s, playing the Red Sox in Oakland, trailed 8-2, with two-on and one out in the top of the third. That’s when the call went to Wasdin in the pen. The first four MLB batters Wasdin faced went like this:
- SS John Valentin – three-run home run;
- 1B Mo Vaughn – walk;
- DH Jose Canseco – two-Run home run;
- LF Mike Greenwell – walk.
Wasdin then fanned RF Troy O’Leary and got 3B Tim Naehring on a pop fly. He settled down nicely and ended up giving up three runs on four hits and three walks over 6 2/3 innings. (No runs after that the first three batters he faced.)
In and Out of Trouble
Jason Dickson broke into the majors with the (then) California Angels on August 21, 1996, He started against the Yankees in New York) and the first batter he faced was SS Derek Jeter, who popped a home run to left. Despite that beginning, Dickson was around into the seventh pitching in and out of trouble. In 6 1/3 innings, he gave up ten hits and two walks, but only that lone first-inning run. Dickson left the game with a 2-1 lead and got the win as the Angels prevailed 7-1.
Dickson pitched in four MLB seasons (1996-98, 200) and went 26-25, 4.99. He was an All Star in 1997, when he went 13-9, 4.29.
Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; Bobby Coombs Obituary, Berkshire Eagle, October 23, 1991 .
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