After eight seasons in the minors, Brewers' Tobias Myers proves he belongs with strong MLB debut

PITTSBURGH – Ignore, for the moment at least, the result of the game. Look past the malady of the bats.

Tobias Myers’ major-league debut was a monumental success.

The 25-year-old righthander spent parts of eight different seasons toiling away in the minor leagues, working toward the moment Tuesday night when he toed the rubber at PNC Park. He was a little-known prospect in the Brewers system coming into even this year, perhaps known best around the league best for who he was traded for – Tampa Bay’s elite prospect Junior Caminero – four organizations ago and not for who he is as a pitcher.

Within seconds of taking a big-league mound for the first time after all of that, too, he left a fastball down the middle of the plate that Andrew McCutchen cranked for a leadoff homer on the very first pitch Myers threw as a major leaguer.

It was a nonpareil “Welcome to the big leagues” moment. The game could have sped up on Myers. Instead, it seemed to almost slow down, ultimately going five innings without allowing another run. He struck out four while giving up four hits and one walk.

So, sure, the Brewers lost, 2-1 as they, um, faltered against Pirates lefty Bailey Falter. But the night was an unmitigated success for Myers, who had his mother, grandmother, fiancée and agent in the crowd.

“I was pretty calm out there honestly throughout the whole day,” Myers said. “That was one thing I was trying to dial in was the nerves, keeping it simple. It’s the same game.”

BOX SCORE:Pirates 2, Brewers 1

Myers didn’t tighten up mentally after the homer. In fact, it went immediately to the advice of one of his coaches as a kid in Polk County, Florida. The coach worked with Andrew McCutchen, who’s from the same area as Myers, while he was coming up and specifically told Myers to not throw any fastballs inside because of McCutchen’s lightning-quick hands.

His first pitch was a fastball. Middle-in.

“Funny story,” Myers said.

Tobias Myers settled the nerves after leadoff homer

Though it was on the biggest stage he’s stepped on to date, this was not the first time Myers had been punched in the face.

He’s been designated for assignment twice in the same month. He’s had a 1-15 record in a single minor-league season. His ERA started with a 6 last July through 15 starts at Class AA.

“I’ve always believed in myself,” Myers said. “Definitely took a lot of hard work, but the confidence has never really left me. It’s one of those things where you get punched in the face and you just got to deal with it.”

Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins was impressed with Myers’ composure. The veteran has seen how a rough start to an outing can spiral on a young pitcher.

“Quickly,” Hoskins said. “Quickly. It’s a testament to his belief in himself. It should give him all the confidence in the world going forward. You can navigate a big league lineup and give us a strong four, five innings.”

Myers’ manager, Pat Murphy, broke with tradition of leaving a starting pitcher to himself leading up to his outing and walked out to Myers while he warmed up in the outfield 20 minutes before first pitch.

Myers was thrown off when he heard someone approaching him from behind but the message from Murphy – “Just pitch for the team,” Myers said – actually relieved some pressure.

“It honestly calmed me down a lot,” Myers said. “Him taking that walk all the way out to center field, pretty much, it was nice to know he had my back and he wants me to do the best to help the team out.”

Myers may have earned himself another start for the Brewers

Murphy liked what he saw from Myers after the home run, retiring the rest of the side in order in the first, using his mega-rising fastball at the top of the zone to get out of a jam in the second and then cruising to get through five innings with a taxed bullpen and injury-riddled rotation.

“He was great. He gave us more than expected,” Murphy said. “I thought he was poised. I think he rose to the occasion. We just didn't give him any support. Great performance, really happy for the kid.

“Sometimes getting punched early is a good thing, to be quite honest with you. I think sometimes getting punched early wakes you up and you become your true self. I think that said it all, what he did the next 15 outs.”

Myers’ biggest takeaway from his debut involved the realization that his arm can get outs at the highest level.

“I learned that it plays,” he said of his arsenal. “I think just keeping the confidence up and going tight at them and executing. It obviously has to be executed up here and you can’t get away with as much. If you can execute (pitches) well, just keep doing what you’re doing and you’ll be alright.”

Myers waited a long time for his first MLB moment. With injuries up and down the rotation, his next could come in just a few days.

“He certainly made a case for himself,” Murphy said.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tobias Myers looks like he belongs in MLB debut for Brewers