Chicago Cubs: Anderson Espinoza finally earns his MLB debut
It’s been a long time coming for Chicago Cubs prospect Anderson Espinoza, who made his debut on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Espinoza started his career with Boston Red Sox, where he was once referred to as “Young Pedro (Martinez)” at the age of 18 by minor league pitching coach Nick Greer. He was also the 19th-ranked prospect according to Baseball America in 2016. However, shortly after the ranking was published ,the prized righty was shipped to the San Diego Padres for All-Star pitcher Drew Pomeranz.
Red Sox nation was absolutely infuriated with the trade, considering Pomeranz no elite star, and Espinoza having drawn similar comparisons to one of the most loved pitchers in Red Sox history. Interestingly enough, it was later discovered that the Padres failed to disclose medical information regarding Pomeranz’s health, and the Red Sox were given a chance to void the trade. However, they decided against it.
Now a Padres prospect, Espinoza was immediately grouped in with Cal Quantrill, Mackenzie Gore, Dinelson Lamet, and Eric Lauer as the future of the Padres rotation. However, unlike Quantrill, Lamet, and Lauer, Espinoza never got his chance to pitch in a Padres uniform, after having several arm issues and Tommy John surgery.
Five years later, during the 2021 trade deadline frenzy, Espinoza was traded once again, this time to the Chicago Cubs for outfielder Jake Marisnick.
Since joining the Cubs, Espinoza has expanded his development with a slider that earned him a strikeout on Sunday. Espinoza “was at a loss for words” before his debut, and he rose to the occasion, throwing four innings while allowing two runs with six strikeouts. He sat at around 93-95 mph, and it was certainly an encouraging debut. Cubs manager David Ross was certainly impressed, saying Espinoza “handled it well” and “really commanded the strike zone.”
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While Espinoza was optioned back to Double-A, he’ll likely earn another opportunity after showcasing his skills against the Brewers. Espinoza finds himself on a struggling Cubs squad that is desperately in need of quality starting pitching.