HOUSTON – Tyler Ivey is at peace but sometimes thinks about his past as a passionless pitcher who still reached the highest. Adrenaline helped Ivey make his major league debut in his hometown, the type of storybook that only this sport seems to jot down.

The day it happened, Ivey weighed 180 kilos and couldn't feel his fingers. Burnout and a barking elbow plagued him before and in the course of the game at Globe Life Field on May 21, 2021. Ivey couldn't turn the baseball over, but still managed to survive into the fifth inning. After manager Dusty Baker pulled him, Ivey left the mound with a giant grin.

For many it’s the last image of a missing man. Houston demoted Ivey to Triple A after the sport but didn’t report throughout the required three days. He doubted whether he desired to proceed playing. Doctors diagnosed Ivey with thoracic outlet syndrome, finally solving his physical problems. The mental hurdles remained.

“One thing you can’t fake is passion,” Ivey said last month. “And I just don’t think at that point I had the drive and the passion to give it my all or do my best to be at the top of the game and compete at that level. Even if I wanted it, it just wasn’t there at the time.”

Twelve months after his major league debut, Ivey left the game. He became a salesman, initially within the life insurance sector and, for a short while, within the solar panel sector. He married a longtime friend named Audrey, welcomed a son named James, and established his family home in a small Texas town called Pottsboro.

“I just wanted to live a simple life, spend time with my friends and family and see how God’s plan worked out for me,” Ivey said.

Ivey assumed baseball wouldn't be included. After retiring, he vowed to not follow the game anymore, aside from the Astros' annual playoff run. Ivey, once considered one in all Houston's top pitching prospects, seemed content to never step on a mound again.

Now it’s his ultimate goal. Two years after his death, Ivey attempted a baseball comeback. A series of probability encounters have allowed him to have a look at the game from a unique perspective. An impromptu start for a school summer league team helped 28-year-old Ivey rekindle his passion.

“There was some synchronicity,” Ivey said. “And everything I did, wherever we went, all roads led back to baseball.”

---

Ivey decided to quit in the primary week of May 2022. His parents, Jon and Michelle, visited him in Sugar Land throughout the week after Ivey told them it was “maybe the last time” they might watch him pitch.

That Sunday, on Mother's Day, Ivey threw 59 pitches over 2 1/3 innings in his final skilled appearance. After the sport, he walked into Triple-A manager Mickey Storey's office and had what Ivey called a “great conversation.” According to Ivey, he and the organization “left on really good terms.”

“You understand. There was no animosity on either side,” said Ivey, Houston's third-round draft pick in 2017. “I still have a ton of love and respect for her. They gave me a chance.”

There isn’t any single reason for Ivey's decision. He suffered from elbow soreness for a lot of the 2020 and 2021 seasons, but hid it from the team for fear of losing his place in his hierarchy. Days after his major league debut, Ivey was further shaken by a family tragedy. The stress of playing during a pandemic took its toll, as did the strain of his decision to not get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Sleeping and eating disorders made Ivey a shell of the person he was at pro ball. He now weighs 205 kilos – 25 kilos heavier than when he debuted in Arlington.

After that start against the Rangers, Ivey made eight appearances in 18 2/3 innings, including five in Triple A to begin the 2022 season. To take heed to him describe it, there isn’t a single turning point that triggers his decision, and nor does any particular aspect of his predicament outweigh the others. The accumulation of all of it became an excessive amount of for Ivey to bear – and most of those around him knew it.

Three days after Ivey retired, an unexpected phone call interrupted a day on the gym. Ivey dropped all the pieces to reply when he saw Baker's name on the caller ID.

“We know you need a break. We got it,” Ivey recalled Baker telling him. “But sometimes the body needs a little rest and sometimes it miraculously heals itself.” And if that happens, you never know, you would possibly get a call in just a few years. At least give it some thought.”

“Absolutely,” Ivey replied. “Anything for you.”

---

Last summer, Ivey volunteered to assist one in all his neighbors coach a highschool summer ball team, although he was initially inclined to say no.

“It allowed me to see baseball in a different light and a different perspective,” he said, “which made me fall in love with it again.”

This love proved strong enough for Ivey to turn into much more involved as a coach. The Sherman Shadowcats are a Texas-based collegiate summer league team throughout the Mid America League. When they needed a pitching coach, they offered Ivey the job. The life insurance salesman accepted the offer to work as a coach in his free time.

But when attrition occurred in late July, the team lacked enough pitchers to get through the upcoming game. The head coach asked Ivey if he would start.

“I practically rolled out of bed. I had played tag a few times and was just messing around. I hadn't trained. “Didn’t throw anything intentionally, nothing,” Ivey said. “I just said, 'Fuck it, I'll hop on the hill and we'll see how it goes.'”

Ivey struck out all three batters he faced. He threw without pain and will feel his fingers for the primary time, fulfilling Baker's prophecy. Radar guns had Ivey's fastball within the low 90s, in comparison with the 88-90 mph he averaged at the top of his pro profession.

“It felt good to go back out there and compete and know, 'Hey, I can still throw strikes.' “My stuff is still good.”

Ivey soon wondered how well. The reintroduction of competition, brief as it was, helped crystallize a path that felt more realistic.

“I started throwing and thinking about it. And I was like, 'Okay, I'll do it,'” Ivey said.

“We prayed rather a lot about it. My wife prayed for me and asked God to in some way help me find my way. What is my goal? Everything became about baseball again.”

---

Ivey knows he can pitch. This feeling for the sport has not left him. Attempting to make it without speed or feel for one in all his secondary pitches, his first pro profession resulted in failure despite rising up the Astros' organizational hierarchy.

“If I come back and my stuff is better and I’m the same pitcher — and I believe I can still pitch,” Ivey said. “And now I’m feeling better and healthy, who knows what could happen?”

Ivey hasn't been on the radar since his backup start in summer league. He studies each biomechanics and the art of pitching moderately than relying solely on his natural arm talent. Ivey's initial insights leave him amazed at what he has completed – and indignant that he didn't discover it sooner.

“My throwing mechanics in general were just so bad. “It’s a miracle my arm didn’t pop,” Ivey said.

Tyler Ivey has probably the most unorthodox performance in camp. More on how he got it, why it really works and why the Astros don't wish to tinker with it – https://t.co/L59T7l1ReL pic.twitter.com/jbG0ESpj5D

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) March 11, 2021

“I just had no idea. I just relied on my arm and my natural talent to get it done. It can only take so long before everything blows up in your face.”

During his first skilled outing, Ivey placed on an unconventional performance, complete with a high leg kick and a violent spin. He modified it to be “much more efficient and smoother” after making “significant changes” to his body and posture.

“After throwing bullpens and throwing at 100 percent intensity, my elbow doesn’t even get sore, let alone hurt, which is pretty remarkable,” Ivey said.

Ivey hasn't modified his five-pitch arsenal, but believes all of his offerings have benefited from reworking his body. His curveball is sharper and has more downward motion. His move added some depth. His fastball stays bouncy with some backspin, characteristics that Houston's pitching infrastructure covets.

The Astros, the organization that after thought enough of Ivey to make him a significant league player at age 25, still retain his contractual rights. Whether they invite Ivey to minor league spring training in March or release him stays an open query. But even when he was given one other probability, an excessive amount of time may need passed. Ivey isn't sure concerning the end result, but said he'll still be an Astros fan.

Ivey has some regrets about how he handled relegation after his major league debut, but is otherwise comfortable with the primary chapter of his profession.

Ivey's most important focus is how the subsequent thing unfolds.

“We're really happy to live the beautiful, simple little life we've created,” Ivey said. “But we both feel like God has put it in our hearts that I'm on a mission and that I'm going to do it, whatever that looks like. And if it doesn't work out, that's completely fine with me. I'll just go home and be happy with my family again.

“But I think there is unfinished business out there. I’d like to see what that looks like.”

Red Sox

HOUSTON (AP) — Rookie Ceddanne Rafaela hit two doubles with two RBIs and fellow rookie David Hamilton added a solo home run within the ninth inning to guide the Boston Red Sox to a 4-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday.

Rafaela's first double against Justin Verlander (3-3) gave Boston a 2-1 lead within the second inning. He scored one other run with a double within the seventh inning with two outs.

“Those two RBIs with two outs were huge for the team,” Rafaela said.

Manager Alex Cora raved in regards to the newcomer.

“He's been hitting well for two months now,” Cora said. “He's able to slow down in the crucial moments. He's doing a lot of good things.”

Hamilton's home run to right field against Seth Martinez made it 4-1 with two outs within the ninth inning.

The Red Sox, who were beaten at home by the AL West-leading Astros earlier this month, won that series after a 6-5 victory on Tuesday night.

They finish an away tour that began with 4 games in Baltimore with a rating of 4-3.

“It says a lot for us as a team,” said Rafaela. “We can compete with the best teams in the game and for me we are one of the best teams.”

Alex Bregman hit his first profession home run as the primary batter in his return to the lineup after missing five games with a swollen right elbow. But the Astros struggled on the plate the remaining of the day, going 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position after going 0 for 8 on Tuesday.

Bregman was at bat first for under the third time this season, as Jose Altuve had a rare off day.

Verlander allowed 4 hits and two runs with six strikeouts in five innings in his first start since June 9. The 41-year-old, who was out due to neck discomfort, threw 76 pitches after throwing 57 in his second rehab start on Thursday.

“I felt good,” Verlander said. “I felt like the material was pretty good, and as the game went on, the setting got better and better and the mechanics felt good. So I was happy with that.”

Red Sox starter Cooper Criswell allowed 4 hits and one run in 4 2/3 innings. Josh Winckowski (4-1) pitched a scoreless sixth inning to win the sport and Chris Martin struck out within the ninth inning to earn his first save.

The Astros had a likelihood to take the lead within the seventh inning. Jake Meyers and Mauricio Dubón hit back-to-back no-out singles in the underside of the seventh inning, and each advanced a base on a wild pitch from Greg Weissert.

Pinch-hitter Jon Singleton struck out before pinch-hitter Trey Cabbage walked to load the bases. Bregman was taken out of the sport by a foul ball caught by Wilyer Abreu in foul territory before Weissert was replaced by Brennan Bernardino.

He struck out Yordan Alvarez with an outdoor throw, ending the threat and causing a frustrated Alvarez to throw away his bat.

Jarren Duran, who hit 4 for 4 on Tuesday night, began with a double before scoring on a one-out single by Triston Casas to offer the Red Sox an early lead.

Connor Wong was on first base with two outs within the second inning when Rafaela hit a double off the wall in left field to place Boston back up 2-1.

Masataka Yoshida led off the seventh with a single and stole second base with one out. There were two outs within the inning when Rafaela hit a line drive into the left field corner for a double, scoring Yoshida and making it 3-1.

TRAINING ROOM

Astros: Martinez was sent all the way down to Triple-A Sugar Land after Tuesday night's game to make room for Verlander on the roster, but he was recalled before Wednesday's game after RHP Kaleb Ort was placed on the paternity list.

Next

Red Sox: Boston has Thursday off and has not yet announced its lineup for the three-game series against the Diamondbacks that begins Friday night.

Astros: Houston has not yet announced its rotation for a four-game series that begins Thursday night in Baltimore.

Red Sox

BOSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve hit a two-run homer and Jon Singleton and Jeremy Peña added RBI singles in a four-run seventh inning because the AL West-leading Houston Astros beat the Boston Red Sox 8-4 on Friday night.

Yainer Diaz hit a two-run home run for the Astros, who pressured Boston's bullpen en path to their third straight win. Bregman and Peña finished the sport with three hits each.

Altuve's home run against reliever Lucas Sims, which tied the sport within the seventh inning, was the 224th of his profession, moving him into fourth place on the team's all-time list.

“That's huge,” Peña said of Altuve's home run that tied the sport at 3-3. “When Josey hits a home run, it's like a team battery.”

David Hamilton hit a two-run double for the Red Sox, who had won three of 4 games and were coming off a 4-2 road trip. Boston's bullpen allowed seven runs and 12 hits in the ultimate three innings.

Starter Tanner Houck held the Astros to 1 run and 4 hits in six innings before Altuve hit a dangling sweeper from Sims (1-5) that bounced off a billboard above the Green Monster.

“Obviously, we were down two when we tried to score a run,” Altuve said. “Basically, it was just a matter of putting the ball in play. … I tried to hit the ball again and got on base and hit with power.”

Bregman and Yordan Alvarez followed with singles before Diaz hit a single against Zack Kelly to load the bases. Singleton and Peña each hit successful to center before Zach Dezenzo slammed into an inning-ending double play.

“They are very aggressive and today we didn't do our job,” said the Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.

In the seventh inning, reliever Taylor Scott struck out Boston star Rafael Devers with a swinging hit with the bases loaded.

“That was a pretty big strikeout,” Scott said, smiling when he learned it was his a centesimal profession strikeout. “I had no idea that was my 100th. That was kind of the exclamation point for the 100th strikeout. That was pretty cool.”

Diaz hit his at-bat, his eleventh of the season, within the ninth inning despite light rain and over the Green Monster.

Former Red Sox relief pitcher Kaleb Ort (1-0) made 4 outs and took the win.

Boston manager Alex Cora decided to walk Alvarez within the fifth inning with runners on the corners and two outs. Houck got the subsequent batter, Diaz, to throw the ball to shortstop.

“I was able to kind of recover and make the throws when I needed to,” said Houck, who struggled in his last two starts, allowing 10 runs in 11 innings.

Trailing 1-0, Hamilton hit his two-run shot into the gap between Ronel Blanco and left center.

Blanco deflected a pickoff attempt past first base, allowing Nick Sogard to attain from third base and make it 3-1 Boston within the fourth inning.

Blanco allowed three runs, two earned, in 4 innings in his first profession start against the Red Sox.

TRAINING ROOM

Astros: RHP Justin Verlander is scheduled to make a rehab start for Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday. Manager Joe Espada said the plan is for him to go three innings, or 50 pitches, “and then we'll see how it goes.”

Red Sox: RHP Brayan Bello was placed on the paternity list, but Cora said he’ll make his scheduled start Monday. However, Saturday's scheduled starter, Cooper Criswell, was placed on the COVID-19 injured list.

Next

Astros rookie RHP Spencer Arrighetti (4-10, 5.33 ERA) hopes to construct on his best start of the season within the second of three games on Saturday. He struck out 12 players and allowed one run in six innings against Tampa Bay on Sunday. Cora said after the sport that RHP Josh Winckowski (2-1, 3.52) would start.

The Athletics arrived in Houston on Monday night in an unfamiliar situation, holding a three-game lead over the struggling fourth-place Astros.

The final result was all too familiar: Houston hit two home runs from Alex Bregman and a two-run double within the eighth inning to beat the A's 9-2 at Minute Maid Park.

Houston, the six-time American League West champion within the last seven years, improved to 16-25 and the A's improved to 19-24 after the primary game of a four-game series.

The Astros, who scored six runs within the seventh and eighth innings, have won 11 of their last 14 games against the A's in Houston and 17 of the last 21 overall.

“They had extra runs, which we've been able to prevent for most of this season, but not in the last few days,” A's manager Mark Kotsay told reporters. “These guys are professional batsmen, they have a strong line-up and if you make a mistake you will be punished.”

Bregman hit a solo home run for Houston within the fourth inning, his second of the season, and added his third within the seventh off reliever Mitch Spence to make the rating 4-2.

Houston opened the sport with 4 runs within the eighth inning, with Bregman hitting a two-run double off reliever Easton Lucas and Victor Caritini adding one other two-run double down the left field line.

The A's helped tie the rating for Houston within the inning with a walk by Lucas and an infield error by shortstop Max Schuemann.

Houston scored within the seventh to make it 5-2 when Jose Altuve hit a single off Jake Meyers, who walked, stole second and advanced to 3rd on a throwing error by catcher Shea Langeliers.

Starter Ross Stripling (1-7) pitched five innings, giving up 4 hits and three runs — two earned — with two walks and a strikeout. His counterpart, Spencer Arrighetti (1-4), also pitched five innings and yielded five hits and two runs, each earned with two walks and five strikeouts.

“We're certainly aware of the Astros' record, but it doesn't appear to be their offense,” Stripling said. “We poked the bear a little bit with Bregman and hope we didn’t get him going too much today.”

Houston, which scored within the second on an RBI groundout by Jon Singleton and within the third on a run-scoring double by Kyle Tucker, added one other rating within the third on a solo home run by Bregman off Stripling to go up 3-1 within the lead within the fourth.

The Athletics edged Arighetti within the fourth when Brent Rooker doubled down the road within the run and Tyler Soderstrom scored with a single to left center. In the fifth, the A's made it 3-2 when JJ Bleday brought home Abraham Toro, who had walked and stolen second base, with a double.

The A's tied it within the eighth after Soderstrom Rooker doubled to 3rd with two outs, but Pressly, trailing 3-1, got here back and struck out Seth Brown.

Remarkable

– Stripling acknowledged the A's are feeling the pressure of losing Paul Blackburn, Alex Wood and Joe Boyle to injuries.

“A turnaround in the rotation where we lost Boyle, Blackburn and Woody,” Stripling said. “Me and JP (Sears) were joking about how we were pitching in a bubble and just trying to stay healthy. That’s a difficult turn of events when you’ve played the same five for over a month and lost three of them.”

– Esteury Ruiz, who led the majors with 67 stolen bases last season, is struggling in that area in a part-time role. Ruiz, filling in for Brett Harris firstly of the seventh, was ejected by Caritini during a steal attempt on backup Bryan Abreu. Ruiz has 4 stolen bases and has been ejected 4 times this season.

— The Athletics committed three errors, giving them 34 this season.