Twin Valley’s A.J. Alexy making history after another gem in second big league start
Twin Valley’s A.J. Alexy has been close to perfect in his first two major league starts.
The 23-year-old right-hander fired six shutout innings Monday, allowing just one hit, as the Texas Rangers defeated the Anaheim Angels 4-0. Three relievers combined on the five-hitter at Anaheim.
Alexy has not allowed a run over 11 big league innings; he’s earned the win in both starts.
According to Stats Perform, he’s the first pitcher in modern MLB history to allow one hit or less in each of his first two appearances (of five innings or more).
The 6-4, 195-pound Alexy made his big league debut Aug. 30 vs. Colorado and pitched five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit.
Monday he retired the final 13 batters he faced, striking out Shohei Ohani, his final batter, to end the sixth inning. He struck out the side in the sixth, finishing with 85 pitches.
Alexy was the Berks League Player of the Year as a senior in 2016 and a two-time All-Berks selection.
Alexy was added to the Rangers’ 40-man roster following last season.
He went 3-1 with a 1.66 ERA over 16 minor league appearances this season, split between Class AA Frisco and Class AAA Round Rock. He struck out 76 over 65 innings.
Alexy was an 11th-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016 and was signed by Rich DeLucia, a Wyomissing grad who pitched for 10 seasons in the big leagues.
Alexy was part of a three-player package the Dodgers sent to the Rangers for Yu Darvish on July 31, 2017; the Rangers also received Brendon Davis and Willie Calhoun.
The only other pitcher in Texas Rangers history to allow only one hit and go at least five innings in his major league debut was Roger Pavlik, in 1992 against the Chicago White Sox.