PHILADELPHIA — Justin Crawford bounced the primary pitch he ever noticed in the main leagues straight up the center to get his first profession hit out of the best way in a matter of seconds.
First hit of what number of?
“Just 2999 more to go,” his father, four-time All-Star outfielder Carl Crawford, wrote on Instagram underneath video of the only.
Hey, no strain there, particularly in Philadelphia.
Making one of many extra anticipated debuts for a Phillies rookie in years, Crawford was an immediate hit — actually — in his large league debut. The 22-year-old heart fielder batted ninth and went 2 for 4 with a run scored in the Phillies’ 5-3 opening day win over the Texas Rangers on Thursday.
“I’ll be lying if I said I didn’t have no butterflies,” Crawford mentioned. “But by the time I got on the field, it was another game. Go play.”
Crawford paced the outfield hours forward of first pitch, headphones on and strolling barefoot simply as he did as one of many prime prospects in baseball throughout his sensational rise — he set a Triple-A Lehigh Valley report season with a .334 common — by means of the minors.
“I wanted to get a feel for the stadium, just feel the heartbeat of the stadium,” Crawford mentioned. “Something I like to do when I get somewhere for the first time.”
He ought to anticipate to remain in Philadelphia for a very long time.
The seventeenth decide in the 2022 draft, Crawford wowed the Phillies in a spring coaching the place the place was his to lose after hitting .300 at each stage of the minor leagues. Crawford was the primary Phillies participant with successful in his first at-bat in his main league debut on opening day since Denny Doyle on April 7, 1970, in opposition to the Chicago Cubs.
At 22 years and 72 days outdated, Crawford is the tenth Phillies participant (since 1898) at that age or youthful with a number of hits on opening day. He’s the primary Phillies participant to realize that feat since Mike Anderson (20 years and 298 days outdated) in 1972.
He’s additionally the youngest Phillies place participant to make his debut in a gap day begin since Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn (21 years, 32 days) in 1948 in opposition to the Boston Braves.
Kyle Schwarber, who went deep on opening day after main the NL with 56 dwelling runs final season, mentioned Crawford impressed with scores of nice at-bats in spring coaching.
“He’s such a raw player; I feel like there’s going to be so much room for growth,” Schwarber mentioned. “The guy hits, I think that’s kind of the biggest takeaway. The guy just gets hits, he finds a way to get hits, and he can be a big problem on the base path.”
Carl Crawford led the American League in stolen bases 4 occasions — that pace was handed all the way down to his son — and is in the Tampa Bay Rays Hall of Fame. He led a bus filled with about 40 family and friends to Citizens Bank Park to catch the debut — “we’re about to see Justin do his thing,” he mentioned on an Instagram video — and was noticed filming nearly each pitch his son confronted in opposition to the Rangers.
Dad additionally gave Justin some recommendation.
“Stay in the moment, control what you can control, go out there and have fun,” Justin Crawford mentioned.
About the one error in the household got here earlier in the week when Crawford mentioned his mom tried to order a vegan cheesesteak at one of many metropolis’s extra well-liked spots, and the employees, “looked at her absolutely crazy.”
Crawford wasn’t positive what he would do with the memento ball from his first hit. He joked everybody from his dad and mom to his grandmother would try to declare it.
“I’m sure a few people are going to be fighting over where they want it,” Crawford mentioned with fun.
The baseball’s future house is a choice for one other day. After the sport, Crawford gathered the whole group of family and friends collectively on the sector for photographs.
“Just so glad everyone was able to make it out,” Crawford mentioned. “It’s really just a moment after never going to forget for the rest of my life.”
