Former Arizona pitcher Chase Silseth dazzles in MLB debut with Angels

The stay in the big leagues might not be long for Chase Silseth, but no one will be able to say he didn’t capitalize on his chance to shine.

The former Arizona Wildcats pitcher threw six shutout innings in his Major League debut on Friday night, picking up the victory in the Los Angeles Angels’ 2-0 win at Oakland. The 21-year-old right-hander, who was promoted from Double-A before the game, allowed one hit and walked two with four strikeouts, throwing 81 pitches with 52 for strikes.

“I’m still speechless,” Silseth said after the game, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.

Silseth, who was Arizona’s Friday night starter in his lone season with the Wildcats in 2021, was the first player from the 2021 MLB Draft class—he was an 11th-round pick last July—to make the big leagues. And his performance in his debut was historic.

The last Angels pitcher to throw six scoreless innings in his MLB debut was Jered Weaver in 2006. Weaver went on to win 150 games in 331 starts over a 12-year career.

Silseth’s future with the Angels is uncertain, according to Fletcher, who said Los Angeles could option him back to the Rocket City (Ala.) Trash Pandas or the Angeles’ Triple-A team in Salt Lake City ahead of a doubleheader Saturday in Oakland. The Angels have been using a 6-man starting rotation but, due to off days, wouldn’t need another for a few weeks.