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'We grinded to get here': Will Wilson and Zak Kent make MLB debuts with Guardians
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- 'We grinded to get here': Will Wilson and Zak Kent make MLB debuts with Guardians
CLEVELAND — The Guardians were unable to sweep a three-game series against the New York Yankees on Wednesday, April 23, but the afternoon wasn't a total loss from a Cleveland perspective.
Will Wilson and Zak Kent made their major league debuts for the Guardians, with Wilson playing all nine innings at third base and Kent pitching the final three innings in relief.
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Kent threw a professional career-high 60 pitches and gave the Guardians what they needed — three innings on the mound in a 5-1 loss before a crowd of 23,981 at Progressive Field.
"It means a lot," Kent said of his MLB debut. "Obviously, we know how good the bullpen is, and if you can not use them when you're down, that was my job. So, I knew what needed to be done to help them out so they can stay as fresh as possible to win more games."
The Guardians (14-10) were attempting to sweep a three-game series against the Yankees (15-10) at home for the first time since September 11-13, 1970, but starter Luis Ortiz struggled with the control of his pitches and allowed five hits, five walks and four earned runs in 4⅓ innings.
Ortiz struck out eight, but was unable to deliver the way Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee did to get wins over the Yankees.
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Williams struck out eight, walked two and allowed seven hits and two earned runs on 104 pitches over 6⅓ innings in 6-4 win April 21 over the Yankees.
Bibee struck out five, walked three and allowed five hits and two earned runs on 106 pitches over six innings in a 3-2 win April 22 over the Yankees.
With Ortiz not at his best in the series finale and Yankees starter Carlos Rodón in a groove over seven innings, Guardians Stephen Vogt manager turned to Joey Cantillo and Kent to pitch the final 4⅔ innings.
Cleveland Guardians reliever Zak Kent (61) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees on April 23, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
When Kent took the mound in the seventh, Jazz Chisholm Jr. walked and scored, Oswaldo Cabrera walked, Austin Wells hit an RBI double and Jasson Dominguez singled for the Yankees.
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Kent's biggest moments in the seventh came when he struck out Anthony Volpe looking to get his first out and then struck out Aaron Judge swinging with the bases loaded to end the inning.
"I think when he called time, at that moment [when the count was 1-2], I was like, I think I got him and I was like, let me just go with my best pitch," Kent said. "So, I went with the best pitch and got him."
Judge, who hit an RBI triple off Ortiz in the first, swung and missed at three of Kent's sliders.
"He's the MVP of the day," Vogt said. "Zak Kent, making his debut in that situation, facing Judge, bases loaded and punching him out, I mean, to post up and give us three innings today when we desperately needed him to with a career-high in pitches ... Zak threw the ball great.
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"Exactly what we saw during spring training. Definitely a really big day for Zak Kent. Happy for him and his family."
Cleveland Guardians reliever Zak Kent throws a pitch during his major league debut against the New York Yankees on April 23, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Kent also struck out Paul Goldschmidt in the eighth and Dominguez in the ninth. Goldschmidt hit an RBI double in the first and an RBI single in the second off Ortiz.
"What I was saying over the last couple days is, there's a job to be done," Kent said. "So, I'll think about it a lot tonight, and even right now, it's still playing through my head, but in the moment it was nothing different. I think Paul [ Sewald ] told me the mound is still 60 feet, six inches, so it's only got to go over the strike zone.
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"... Obviously, you might have a tick more adrenaline when you try to go and find your spot to zone in. There's a little more bleachers up there, so you got to find your spot to hone in a little better."
Kent and Wilson were able to share the experience with family members and friends.
"When I saw my wife [Naomi], I just gave her a big, old hug," Kent said. "She's pregnant, so I checked on the baby. Baby was kicking around. She said he was very excited for me, so it was a great moment."
Kent said he was given the baseballs from the strikeouts of Volpe and Judge as momentos.
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"Will had the Judge one, so he gave it to me after and I gave it to my dad [Allen]," Kent said. "Volpe was my first one ... so I'll remember that, but bases loaded with an MVP guy [in Judge], so I'll remember that a lot."
Cleveland Guardians infielder Will Wilson watches a pitch during his major league debut against the New York Yankees on April 23, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Kent said it was extra special to share an MLB debut with Wilson.
"We grinded to get here," Kent said. "It's just been a long journey for me. It's just been injuries that's held me back. It's just great just to be able to share it with somebody. It's not an I sport, it's a team sport. So, being able to share that with him, seeing his family and how they reacted, it's just amazing."
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Wilson finished 1-for-4 with a single in the ninth inning off Yankees reliever Luke Weaver.
"It's good," Wilson said of his first MLB hit. "I mean, it sucks it comes on a loss, but it's something I'm going to remember for the rest of my life."
Wilson said the first thing that went through his mind when he he singled was, "Just praise God, man. It's been a journey. He's been with me the whole way, and just praise him."
Wilson added that playing in an afternoon game made the day go "quick."
"It wasn't a night game where you had all day to sit and think," Wilson said. "It was a day game. Walked over [to the stadium], had some coffee, had breakfast, talked to a bunch of the dudes, played some Binho [soccer board game] and then just got to work."
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Vogt lauded Wilson for being "a really good player" and said he was "happy for him."
Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Will Wilson and Zak Kent make MLB debuts with Cleveland Guardians
