Three years in the past, Nathan Lukes was able to stroll away from baseball.
Drafted within the seventh spherical by the Cleveland Guardians in 2015, Lukes had bounced round each the Cleveland and the Tampa Bay Rays farm programs for years, ready for a shot on the majors. However after ready for the decision to the present Lukes, now married with a younger daughter, was able to make a distinct name on the finish of the 2022 season.
“It had all the time gone by my thoughts once I hadn’t debuted (in MLB) but — I instructed my spouse in my first yr of free company (2022), ‘Let’s do that yr, see the place it leads, after which I believe it could possibly be time to only be a dad,’” Lukes recalled earlier this collection. “It was on the finish of that yr Ross (Atkins, the Blue Jays Normal Supervisor) known as me and instructed me I used to be on the 40-man roster. So, I imply, that’s the golden ticket.”
But there he was at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night time, digging into the batter’s field for the Toronto Blue Jays, in what may need been the most important at-bat of not simply the sport, however his life.
That “golden ticket” led to Lukes showing in 29 video games for the Blue Jays in 2023. Regardless of struggling a torn ligament in his left thumb that price him all however 22 MLB video games in 2024, Lukes was with the large membership to start out the yr and was Toronto’s fourth outfielder in addition to a left-handed bat off the bench for the Blue Jays.
He was within the beginning lineup for Recreation 1 of the ALDS, and he went 2-for-5 with a two-run double as Toronto took Recreation 1 towards the Yankees. The veteran was again within the beginning lineup for Recreation 4 at Yankee Stadium on Thursday.
Within the prime of the seventh, Toronto held a slim 2-1 lead, and had a pair of runners on and first base open when Lukes got here to the plate with two outs. The outfielder had gone 0-for-3 to that time towards starter Cam Schlittler, however with the rookie right-hander at 88 pitches and the Yankees’ season hanging within the steadiness, Aaron Boone known as on Devin Williams to get the ultimate out of the inning towards Lukes.
This was a crucial second within the contest. With the damaging Vladimir Guerrero Jr. lurking on deck, New York wanted to get out of the highest of the body nonetheless trailing by one to maintain their hopes alive. To try this, they wanted to get Lukes, the journeyman who had nearly walked away from the sport, out.
After taking a fastball up for ball one, Lukes acquired one other fastball up and away within the zone, and he made essentially the most of it:
The lefty went the opposite means with the pitch, lacing a single over the leaping Anthony Volpe. The hit introduced each Ernie Clement and Andrés Giménez to the plate, and staked Toronto to a 4-1 lead.
The Blue Jays wouldn’t look again, securing a 5-1 win to e-book their spot within the ALCS. The street to the World Collection within the American League now runs by Toronto.
After the sport, Lukes was an enormous matter of dialog, beginning with supervisor John Schneider’s post-game press convention.
“Couldn’t be happier for Nathan Lukes with the collection that he had, the season he’s had actually,” began the Toronto supervisor.
Requested about Toronto’s potential to make contact on the plate, not simply in the course of the collection however all season lengthy, Schneider once more pointed to Lukes.
“I believe form of the epitome of it’s Nathan Lukes dealing with Devin Williams figuring out he’s most likely going to get a fastball with Vlad sitting on deck and never being afraid to decide to it when the change-up is his finest pitch,” stated Schneider. “So I believe guys have a plan once they go up there, and we attempt to make the most of everybody’s ability set to the most effective that we are able to.”
Within the locker room celebration that adopted, Schneider once more talked about Lukes.
Albeit in a a lot totally different style.
“Each single one in every of you, f***ing bullpen sport, Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw, all you motherf***ers, it takes all people, every single day,” Schneider stated.
“Begin spreading the information, *******.”
Earlier than the sport Lukes met with the media, and was requested if there was a second this season that satisfied him he was an on a regular basis participant.
His reply highlighted his journey.
“Oh, man, I don’t even know. There’s lots. I’m attempting to suppose to the start of the season. Any swing that helps the crew, I assume, each RBI, each sac bunt, drag bunt, squeeze, hit and run, form of all of them simply mix collectively,“ stated Lukes.
Now that journey, which has taken him from the minors all the best way to Yankee Stadium, is making its subsequent cease: The ALCS.
With a spot within the World Collection on the road.
Thanks largely to the most important swing of his life.
