Gibson confirms: Trevor Bauer to start Thursday for D-backs

The wait is finally over.

Trevor Bauer will make his major league debut Thursday in
Atlanta, ending a wait that has seemingly gone on since
the right-hander was drafted third overall in 2011.

“Yes he is,” D-backs manager Kirk Gibson told Arizona
Sports 620’s Burns and Gambo Tuesday when asked if Bauer
was going to start Thursday. “Trevor Bauer’s going to
start. He’ll try to get in here [Wednesday] sometime, and
then he’ll be toeing the rubber for us on Thursday night.”

Speculation began Sunday that Bauer would get promoted
after he was pulled from his Triple-A start after just 2
2/3 innings and 50 pitches, with the thought being he’d
take the injured Joe Saunders’ spot in the rotation.

Saunders was placed on the DL Saturday with a strained
left elbow, and Gibson said the veteran will be shut down
for a few days.

Bauer is 11-1 with a 2.23 ERA and 116 strikeouts this
season, having split time between Double-A Mobile and
Triple-A Reno. The team’s top prospect, Gibson is aware of
how much everyone has been waiting for this moment, and
wants to
ensure the rookie does not feel any added pressure.

“I just want him to come up and use the things that we’ve
been working on in preparation to be successful,” Gibson
said of his expectations. “We’re trying to win games here,
so I think you’ve got to keep it like anyone else.”

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