Triston McKenzie Personifies the Latest Chapter of Satchel Paige's Legacy
Closely following the path taken by his hero C.C. Sabathia, Triston McKenzie is leading the continuation of a legacy & culture that Satchel Paige brought to the Cleveland Guardians franchise in 1948
When Satchel Paige became the first Black pitcher to record an appearance in a game in the American League as a swingman for Cleveland’s pitching staff in 1948, he joined a ball club that had already cultivated a reputation and history for finding great starters.
Posting a 2.78 ERA in 155.2 innings across two seasons in a Cleveland uniform, Paige brought culture and standards from the Negro Leagues that have been closely followed by other Black pitchers who have spent extended periods with the Cleveland Guardians franchise. Notable names such as Luis Tiant II (the son of an Afro-Cuban Negro Leagues pitcher), James “Mudcat” Grant, and C.C. Sabathia are included in this fraternity.
The Cleveland Guardians franchise is the epicenter of Black baseball culture in the American League, and Triston McKenzie is seamlessly continuing this legacy. The first individual of Jamaican descent to pitch for Cleveland at the major league level, he has displayed the potential to pitch his way to being in this group since he was selected by Cleveland with the 42nd overall pick of the 2015 MLB Draft straight out of high school.
The 25-year-old starter from West Palm Beach, Florida has shown flashes of dominance at varying lengths against major league competition since an MLB debut during the shortened 2020 season where he went six scoreless innings. He allowed only two hits and struck out ten after not pitching in a professional game in almost two years due to injuries and the cancellation of the 2020 MiLB season.
2021 was his first time spending an entire season at the MLB level, and it featured the typical ebbs and flows of a young pitcher. He logged a 4.95 ERA in 120 innings pitched due to an uncharacteristically high walk rate when looking at his MiLB history. He finished the 2021 season with four or more walks in eight of his 24 starts and pitched in four innings or less in 12 of 24 stars.
On the flip side, McKenzie flirted with a perfect game versus the Detroit Tigers, going eight innings with 11 Ks before allowing his first hit. He set a new franchise record with eight straight strikeouts against the Chicago White Sox, which encapsulates his ability and how dominant he can be when his command is right.
Taking multiple steps forward in 2022, McKenzie’s breakout season proved that he is capable of being a part of Satchel Paige’s legacy. In 30 starts he logged 191.1 innings with a 2.96 ERA, striking out 190 and walking 44 out of 741 total batters faced. He quelled durability concerns by finishing the MLB season tied for fifth in starts with seven or more innings pitched. He had 11 wins, 11 losses, 8.9 K/9, 2.1 BB/9, and a 0.951 WHIP. He was 14th among all starters in innings pitched, 19th in ERA, 15th in K/9 and BB/9, 22nd in fWAR, and 23rd in bWAR.
In addition to his development as a starter, he has actively played a part in maintaining the Black baseball culture Satchel Paige brought to this organization and MLB as a whole. McKenzie often cites the aforementioned Sabathia as someone who inspired him to embark on the path he chose, such as in this interview he did with Andre Knott of Bally Sports Ohio. Former and current Black starting pitchers in the Guardians farm system who have attested to this culture include Xzavion Curry, Tahnaj Thomas, and Juan Hillman Jr.
Further Reading
https://www.mlb.com/news/triston-mckenzie-shuts-down-astros-strikes-out-eight
https://andscape.com/features/guardians-triston-mckenzie-has-arrived-as-an-mlb-star-and-a-mentor/
https://theathletic.com/3603597/2022/10/04/triston-mckenzie-guardians-breakout-season/
https://www.mlb.com/news/josh-naylor-triston-mckenzie-discuss-jamaican-heritage
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2005-09-21-0509200623-story.html