good news; Fernando Abad announce his return to MLB with full commitment….
Fernando Abad has a story to tell the next time someone who wasn’t at Coors Field on Tuesday night sits in his adjustable chair. And unlike many stories told by barbers, Abad’s yarn will be verifiably true.
That’s right. When not cutting and styling hair, Abad is a Rockies veteran relief pitcher, which is another way of saying he’s a well-traveled character barely known publicly, but well-respected among teammates both in the Majors and Triple-A Albuquerque.
But Tuesday — for the first time in 2,226 days — he became something else: a winning pitcher in the Majors, thanks to his 1 1/3 innings of the bullpen-run 4-3 victory over the Astros.
A lefty specialist before the three-batter minimum and an “any-inning” guy since, Abad is 9-29 in his career. So chances to win are few and the victories are cherished. A baseball from Tuesday will go to the same place as one from his last “W,” for the Red Sox over the Phillies on June 13, 2017.
“I got the ball and gave it to my mom,” said Abad, 37. “When they give it [a ball from Tuesday] to me, I’m going to sign it and give it to my mom again.”
Abad was one of several bright spots in a game that highlighted the best part of the 37-58 Rockies. Their bullpen is airtight when they have rare leads — 24-9 ahead after six innings, 28-3 after seven and 34-2 after eight. With four of their main starters on the injured list, two (Germán Márquez and Antonio Senzatela) gone for the year with elbow injuries and just three starters on the current roster, Tuesday had to be a “bullpen game.”