Black starting pitchers have always been rare. Now 20-game winners are, too. What does that mean for one of baseball’s most exclusive clubs?
PHILADELPHIA — Hunter Greene has long been considered the future, a flamethrowing strikeout artist who will test the limits of a radar gun while making the game cooler in the process. But when it comes to his musical taste and how he likes to prepare to mow down batters, Greene is decidedly old school.
In his second season, Greene mixed promising outings — such as six innings of 11-strikeout, no-hit ball he threw against the Chicago Cubs in a win at Wrigley Field in May — with ones typical of pitching phenoms. The journey has required patience from the Reds, who signed Greene to a six-year, $53 million extension in April. His plan is to reward those who have recognized his gifts and supported his grind.
The dwindling participation of Black baseball players has contributed to the disappearance of Black Aces. But so has a modern game cautious about overworking arms, dedicated to pitch counts and keen on managers strategically using their bullpens. “You just joined the Aces,” Stewart recalled Grant telling him. Stewart didn’t know what Grant was talking about. Grant, the American League’s first Black 20-game winner, explained the Black Aces and mentioned the company Stewart now shared, and Stewart was ready to celebrate — and levitate.
“Bob Gibson told me: ‘The best way to win a game is to finish a game. That way you don’t leave any doubt out there,’ ” Stewart said. “ ‘Bet on you.’ ” Before the 2021 season, Walker was offered several minor league deals before landing with the New York Mets. He made the all-star team that year and finished with a then-career-high 12 wins last season. The Phillies signed him to a four-year, $72 million contract before this season — an ideal situation for a starting pitcher hoping to stack wins, with one of the league’s best offenses in baseball, an all-star catcher in J.T.
“It sucks. But I guess it’s kind of the way the game is,” he said. “Baseball and inner cities is not really a thing, I guess. Expensive. A lot of work, a lot of travel, a lot of sacrifice not only for the players but for parents. It’s not easy.”
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