WASHINGTON, DC – Family members kept the circled date for about a month, counting the days and hoping for no rain to adjust the calendar.
Washington Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin, a Bloomington native, will face his hometown Twins for the first time in his career Wednesday at Nationals Park.
“I know from my friends and family, it’s me pitching against the Twins and then the Wolves at night,” Irvin said. “It’s cool, man. I’m excited. Growing up, the dream was always to play for the Minnesota Twins. Now that I get the chance to pitch against them, it’s crazy how it all comes full circle.”
Irvin grew up a huge Twins fan. His family had season tickets to the Metrodome and Target Field. “The love and passion started in the Dome,” he said, and he remembers missing school for opening day and playoff games.
“I was a big fan of Michael Cuddyer,” Irvin, 27, said. “I loved Michael Cuddyer. I really liked Nick Punto because he was a utility guy who played everywhere on the field. When I was a kid, I was a big fan of defense. I loved watching Web Gems at night. Nick Punto was fun to see. I also liked Pat Neshek. I like the gun and being from Minnesota.”
Irvin, in his second major league season, has posted a 3.91 ERA in his first nine starts with 38 strikeouts in 50⅔ innings.
While in high school at Bloomington Jefferson, the 6-6 pitcher turned heads when he attended a pro exhibition at Kauffman Stadium in 2014, showing off a curveball that remains his best off-speed pitch. The Twins selected him in the 37th round of the 2015 amateur Draft, which Irvin said was a special moment for him and his family before pitching at Oklahoma.
“In high school, my senior year, I got pretty good,” Irvin said. “I think even then it’s still a dream. I was confident that I could play at the professional level, but going through all the work in college and the minor leagues, man, I don’t know if that high school kid would have been prepared for this. “
Irvin was a fourth-round pick in 2018 and his fastball velocity continued to increase into his mid-90s. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020, after pitching at the Nationals’ alternate site in the season-shortened season. pandemic, what he now calls a “great blessing in disguise.”
“They say sometimes guys throw harder when they come back from Tommy John, but that’s not because you’ve had surgery and your arm is fixed,” he said. “It’s because of the daily diligence and work done over 15 months.”
Irvin, one of 12 Minnesotans on a major league roster this season, is trying to approach Wednesday’s start like everyone else. He knows it will mean more later.
“Being part of the little MLB fraternity is great, but also being part of the Minnesota fraternity that’s been here, it’s really nice,” Irvin said. “It’s definitely something I don’t take for granted.”
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