Astros call on Australian lefty Hendrickson for MLB debut in AL West race
The short version
- Josh Hendrickson, a 29-year-old Australian lefty, debuted for the Astros on Sept. 23 at Seattle
- He allowed two hits, no walks and three strikeouts over three innings in a 6-5, 10-inning loss
- Hendrickson was drafted by the Phillies in 2019 and had been out of affiliated baseball the past two seasons
- He was Houston's 31st pitcher used this year; the Astros entered Friday tied with Texas atop the AL West
- The Astros play at the Athletics on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 9:40 PM EDT
Josh Hendrickson, a 29-year-old Australian who spent two years out of affiliated baseball, debuted for Houston during the final week of a tied division race.
Josh Hendrickson's path to the major leagues ended in a Houston Astros uniform this week. The 29-year-old Australian left-hander was called up after midnight Texas time and flew to Seattle on Wednesday, entering a division race with only a handful of games remaining in the regular season.
The promotion came out of necessity. Starter Cristian Javier strained his groin, and Houston's bullpen covered seven innings in a Tuesday win over the Mariners, prompting the club to add fresh pitching. Hendrickson had spent the entire year with Triple-A Sugar Land, where he recorded a 4.75 ERA across 23 appearances, 19 of them starts. He had remained with the taxi squad after the minor-league season wrapped up last weekend.
His debut was anything but comfortable. Brought in during the third inning, Hendrickson inherited a one-run lead with the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at second. He needed just two pitches to get Josh Naylor on a groundout and escape the threat. He later worked a clean fourth inning before giving up a game-tying single in the fifth. Facing eight batters in all, he allowed two hits, did not issue a walk and struck out three. Houston went on to lose 6-5 in 10 innings.
Afterward, Hendrickson said the quick entry helped him avoid overthinking the moment. He described the experience as being like ripping off a Band-Aid, noting he simply began warming up as soon as runners reached base. Manager Joe Espada said he told the pitcher beforehand to be ready for significant situations, trust his stuff, throw strikes and compete.
The road to the majors was a long one for the Perth native. He discovered baseball through a physical education class in elementary school and was still playing T-ball at age 10 or 11 before his father enrolled him in Little League. Australian national team coaches later connected him with American college programs. He spent a year each at Ranger College in Texas and Barton Community College in Kansas before playing the 2019 season at the University of San Diego.
That same year, the Phillies drafted him with the 1,140th overall pick in the 38th round. Philadelphia released him after the 2023 season, and he did not pitch in affiliated ball for the next two years, undergoing Tommy John surgery, throwing in independent leagues and appearing for Team Australia at this year's World Baseball Classic. In mid-April, while waiting at home for a contract, he got the call from Houston, which needed minor-league depth for an injury-hit staff. He had made only four Triple-A appearances before this season.
Hendrickson was the 31st pitcher the Astros have used this season, excluding three position players, a reflection of the club's ongoing pitching troubles. Houston carried the seventh-highest team ERA in the majors entering Friday, yet sat even with the Texas Rangers at the top of the AL West with three contests left.
His wife, daughter and in-laws watched from the T-Mobile Park stands, and Hendrickson pointed toward them as he walked off the mound. He called the debut a surreal experience, saying he always believed he had the ability to reach the majors and just needed the right opportunity, one he said he will not forget.
Houston continues its push for the division title on Saturday, September 26, visiting the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. First pitch is 9:40 PM EDT, with the game available on MLB.TV, NBC Sports CA and Space City Home Network.
