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Texas Rangers relief pitcher Peyton Gray throws to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Arlington, Texas.<\/p>\n
Tony Gutierrez\/AP<\/p>\n
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Peyton Gray, left, celebrates with catcher Danny Jansen, right, after the team’s win in a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Arlington, Texas.<\/p>\n
Tony Gutierrez\/AP<\/p>\n
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Peyton Gray throws his first pitch in his major league debut to Pittsburgh Pirates’ Nick Gonzales in the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Arlington, Texas.<\/p>\n
Tony Gutierrez\/AP<\/p>\n
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) \u2014 Peyton Gray had visualized the moment so many times that he didn’t feel nervous when finally making his big league debut \u2014 at age 30 after eight years through the minor leagues, independent ball and four winters outside the United States<\/p>\n
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Gray worked a perfect inning in his debut for the Texas Rangers on Thursday night, getting a groundout on his first pitch in the majors and ending the 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates with a strikeout of Konnor Griffin, the highly touted shortstop playing the day before his 20th birthday.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThat makes me feel pretty old,\u201d Grey said with a smile. \u201cGetting my first career strikeout on him is pretty cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Rangers promoted Gray from Triple-A Round Rock earlier Thursday when placing left-handed reliever Robert Garcia on the 15-day injured list because of left shoulder inflammation after he hadn’t pitched in a week. Gray was the fourth reliever they used after two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom recorded his 62nd career 10-strikeout game, getting those in 5 2\/3 innings.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was awesome, and I was getting chills,\u201d Rangers manager Skip Shumaker said. \u201cThe journey that he had to get to this spot, you could probably write a book about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Gray found out about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday night, after Round Rock was rained out for the second day in a row in Sugar Land, Texas, that he was going to join the Rangers. He then called his parents in Columbus, Indiana, and they made the more than 900-mile drive to be at their son’s big-league debut.<\/p>\n
Each time the phone rang in the Rangers bullpen Thursday night, Gray got antsy thinking it could be his moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it was finally my turn, it was awesome. I wasn\u2019t nervous I was more excited, prepared,\u201d said Gray, who was asked later why he didn’t feel nervous. \u201cI think I visualized this moment so many times throughout my life. … I feel like I\u2019ve been a big leaguer already. I just haven\u2019t been able to be on this stage yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
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After needing only one pitch to get his first out, Gray got a flyout before facing Griffin, the teenager who two weeks ago agreed to nine-year, $140 million contract with the Pirates. The swing-and-miss for strike three was on an 83.4 mph changeup that catcher Danny Jansen blocked and then threw to first base to end the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis game is amazing. I love this game so much because of stories like that,\u201d Schumaker said. \u201cYou\u2019re seeing a kid that just came out of high school not too long ago, and then another guy that has spent (time) trying to get his moment. … For him to get a strikeout against a future All-Star over there. That\u2019s what the beautiful part of this game is, you don\u2019t see that in every sport. That just doesn\u2019t happen. So yeah, pretty cool moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
After being in the Rangers\u2019 minor league system last season, Gray impressed them in spring training this year as a non-roster invite. He had 2.53 ERA in nine appearances with 18 strikeouts and one walk over 10 2\/3 innings.<\/p>\n
The pitcher who will turn 31 on June 2 began this season at Triple-A Round Rock, where he threw 12 2\/3 scoreless innings over seven games, going 1-0 with two saves, 15 strikeouts and two walks.<\/p>\n
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\u201cBeing the 30-year-old non-roster invite that doesn\u2019t have any big league time, I don\u2019t think they expected me to put up as many zeroes and throw as many strikes as I did,\u201d Gray said in the Rangers clubhouse before his MLB debut. \u201dSo I think I surprised them. I might have surprised myself a little bit too.\u201d<\/p>\n
After pitching at Florida Gulf Coast University, Gray\u2019s professional debut was a short season with the Colorado Rockies\u2019 affiliate in the Northwest League in 2018, and he stayed in their organization in 2019.<\/p>\n
He spent 2021 in the Kansas City Royals\u2019 organization, that between three different seasons for the Milwaukee Milkmen in the independent American Association. He pitched in the Dominican last winter, after the previous three winters in the Mexican Pacific League.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s awesome. 30 years old, that it\u2019s a long time and been through a lot,\u201d deGrom said of Gray. \u201cSo for him to get up here and get to the major leagues is just a testament to how hard he has worked throughout the minor leagues and stuff. So very happy for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
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