D-backs’ Alex Young ‘not surprised’ after strong start at the majors

Arizona Diamondbacks rookie Alex Young has gotten off to an impressive start in his major league career.

In his first four appearances, he is 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA and has only allowed a total of six hits in 18.2 innings.

Young finished his outing against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday only giving up one run and three hits in 5.1 innings pitched.

After his stellar performance against the Rangers, Young joined 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Burns & Gambo on Tuesday to discuss his thoughts three starts into his major league career.

“I think a lot of people are kind of shocked at how well I am doing right now,” Young said. “I’ve been preparing my whole life for this. For me I am not surprised, because of the amount of time and effort I’ve put to it.”

The D-backs called up the rookie left-hander on June 27 to make his first major league debut against the San Francisco Giants.

Young went five innings giving up one run on three hits in route to his first career win in the majors.

In his next start against a potent Colorado Rockies offense, he went six innings and allowed zero hits before being pulled after just throwing 71 pitches.

Young has been put on a pitch count limit by the team because he has not been fully stretched out after being in the bullpen for Triple-A Reno to begin the year.

D-backs manager Torey Lovullo also pulled Young after throwing 79 pitches with one out in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game.

“I was a little surprised, I didn’t know where my pitch count was, but I felt really good,” Young said. “I was a little disappointed, because I want to finish that inning.”

It’s unknown how long Young will be on a pitch count limit, but the team is certain to be cautious as their starting pitch depth has run thin.

Taijuan Walker has been out for over a year after Tommy John Surgery in April 2018 while Luke Weaver went down with a UCL injury in May.

Zack Godley hasn’t been injured but has struggled in this starter role this season and was moved to the bullpen as a result.

With two starters to begin the season out of the rotation, the D-backs called up rookies Taylor Clarke and Jon Duplantier from Reno to fill the fourth and fifth role in the rotation.

Even though Clarke will return Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers, they both have gone down with injuries as well.

Young could have a big impact on the rotation as the year continues and Lovullo expects he will go longer into the game with more starts.

“We are eventually going to get there to 95 and 100 pitches with him, but for right now we’ve got to build that up,” Lovullo said in his post-game press conference on Tuesday.