Pittsburgh Review

PITTSBURGH -- Brady Feigl never had a Plan B. Baseball was always going to work out. But two years ago, he and his wife, Courtney, almost had to seriously consider what a future without baseball would be.

Feigl was pitching for the independent Long Island Ducks and sustained what Courtney called “a very low blow” with a shoulder injury that they worried might require surgery. He didn’t need it and was back in the Atlantic League the next year, working towards that Plan A.

“Everything after that, every success in last year’s independent ball, last year’s Dominican League, everything has just been icing on the cake,” Courtney told MLB.com.

On Monday night at PNC Park, Plan A was finally realized. With Courtney and his parents, Ray and Mary Lou, watching on, the 33-year-old left-hander made his Major League debut after over a decade of grinding in the Minors and independent ball. The Pirates would lose to the Cubs, 18-8, but Feigl won in his own way.

“All the blood, sweat and tears I've put into this game finally paid off,” Feigl said postgame, still wearing his Major League jersey. “Just proud of myself and appreciate the support from my family and friends, and coaches, and everyone along the way."

Feigl’s journey to the Pirates included stops with three Major League organizations, four Atlantic League teams, a four-year gap between games pitched in affiliated baseball and a big showing in the Dominican Winter League this offseason.

It was after that showing in the Dominican and Feigl’s pro day that he and the Pirates connected and came together on a Minor League deal with no invitation to Major League Spring Training.

Feigl just needed that chance. He became one of Triple-A Indianapolis’ top lefty relievers this season, striking out 62 hitters over 51 2/3 frames. After the Pirates lost Hunter Stratton (ruptured left patella tendon) on Saturday, they gave Feigl his first shot in the Majors.

With the game getting out of hand early, Feigl started to suspect that his number might be called. His parents made the trek from Longs, S.C., when they got the call that he was headed to the Majors. They were pretty easy to spot at the ballpark as they were wearing custom No. 52 Feigl jerseys.

As Domingo Germán struggled in the seventh inning and Feigl started getting loose, Mary Lou described her anxiety: “I was sweating and was watching my heart rate go up... God when he gets out there I’m going to have a heart attack!”

Running in from the bullpen, Feigl felt similarly: “Body [was] kind of shaking... I was just kind of telling myself 'Don't airmail it or spike it.'”

Feigl cleaned up the seventh inning without issue but worked around a solo shot by Isaac Paredes in the eighth to minimize damage. The Pirates pushed him another frame to try to save their bullpen; although things went sideways for Feigl by then, it did not change his personal achievement.

“Obviously things didn't go as well as I wanted them to,” he said. “But no one can take away all hard work that I've put into this."

Reflecting on his career so far: "I know in back of my head I wasn't going to give up... As long as I still had ability to do it I'm not going to give up."

“There was never a Plan B,” Courtney reiterated. “This was always Plan A.”