'The nerves were there but that comes with the promotion': WooSox lefty Brendan Nail chats about Triple-A debut
If you have a chance to take a peek at the WooSox pitching staff, you might notice an emerging trend.
A ton of left-handers.
Of the 14 pitchers currently listed on the roster, 8 of the arms are lefties. It’s a trend that you rarely if ever see on one team at the same time. The most recent left-hander to join Worcester, Brendan Nail, calls it “cool” seeing such a big lefty movement. Nail recalls when he signed with the Red Sox of there being around two in the entire minor league system back in 2017.
Nail made his debut last Thursday against Rochester and picked up his first ever Triple-A win. The 27-year-old pitched 3.2 innings and struck out 6 batters. He also gave up 2 earned runs, which for a guy who carried a 0.99 ERA in Double-A, was different for him.
“The nerves were there but that comes with the promotion.” Nail said about the debut. “I am excited and it’s a new challenge. I feel like I settled in pretty well and was able to find the strike zone a little bit more efficiently as innings went on.”
WooSox manager Chad Tracy agreed with Nail about seeing some nerves at the beginning of the outing. Tracy noted he “loved the swing and miss stuff and is looking forward to seeing more from him this week” in regard to different ways to use him.
“I have been able to start some game and come in early innings and even come in late.” Nail said about his outings. “I enjoy the versatility and being able to experience every aspect of the game. It helps me learn the game and understand the value of innings and versatility.”
The Rochester lineup featured plenty of former big leaguers when Nail made his debut. You had the likes of Matt Adams, Nomar Mazara, Franmil Reyes, and a few others that have seen MLB action in their careers.
“It gave me confidence.” Nail said about the Rochester lineup. “You will only face intimidating lineups if you let it intimidate you. I tried to push it to the side and not let the name dictate my performance and just treat it as another batter in the box.”
Nail is represented by Gaeta Sports Management. He shares the same agent as Joe Jacques, who recently earned his first ever MLB call-up from Worcester. The lefty noted how “awesome it is to see the agency grow” and see guys make their debut. As his agency has grown, so has Nail as he now finds himself one step away from the majors.
“Its pretty awesome.” Nail said about being so close. “I have always played this game with some passion and tell myself to have fun. It is a kid’s game at the end of the day. As you get closer, there is better talent and higher expectations. There is always something to learn from and something to build upon.”
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