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.”

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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.”

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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.”

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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

BOSTON (AP) — Tyler O'Neill hit a three-run home run to left with one out within the tenth inning to provide the Boston Red Sox a 5-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night.

O'Neill scored against Keegan Akin (3-1) after Rafael Devers struck out and Romy Gonzalez reached a base on a fielding error by second baseman Jackson Holliday.

O'Neill has hit 30 home runs this season. He had his second walk-off home run of the season and his fifth overall.

Greg Weissert (4-2) earned the win after allowing Emmanuel Rivera's RBI single within the tenth inning.

In the ultimate game of the regular season against Boston, the Orioles tied the sport 2-2 with two outs within the eighth inning on Anthony Santander's forty first home run, successful to the proper side of Justin Slaten.

Baltimore opened the scoring with Rivera's home run within the third inning against Nick Pivetta. Boston tied the rating in the underside half of the inning against Dean Kremer, with an infield single by Wilyer Abreu and an error by third baseman Rivera allowing Jarren Duran to attain.

The Red Sox took a 2-1 lead within the fourth inning on Cedanne Rafaela's two-out single.

Pivetta played six innings, allowed one run on 4 hits and one walk and had nine strikeouts.

Kremer pitched seven innings. He allowed two runs – one earned – on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.

TRAINING ROOM

Orioles: LHP Danny Coulombe, who underwent surgery to remove bone chips from his left elbow on June 18, made his first rehab appearance Wednesday, completing a scoreless inning with successful and a strikeout for Triple-A Norfolk.

Red Sox: LHP Brennan Bernardino was placed on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his left elbow. LHP Cam Booser was reinstated from the IL and took Bernardino's spot on the roster.

Next

The Red Sox open a four-game series on the New York Yankees on Thursday night. Boston's RHP Cooper Criswell (6-4, 4.11 ERA) was scheduled to face LHP Nestor Cortes (9-10, 3.97). The Orioles will begin a three-game series at Detroit on Friday night.

baseball

First League

No. 4 De La Salle 5, No. 5 Rocklin 4

Tyler Spangler's grand slam within the fifth inning turned a one-run deficit for De La Salle right into a three-run lead that proved simply enough to offer the Spartans a narrow victory over visiting Rocklin and advance to the Division I semifinals, which can happen in Granada on Thursday.

De La Salle's last game against Granada last Friday and Saturday was simply a 14-inning marathon that took up two days, two districts and two fields.

Granada won 1-0, ending De La Salle's 33-game postseason winning streak.

On Thursday, the Matadors have a likelihood to finish De La Salle's quest for 3 consecutive Division I regional titles.

De La Salle's reign atop NorCal was in jeopardy in Tuesday's opening round against Rocklin, when the Sac-Joaquin Section school scored two runs in the primary inning and held the lead until De La Salle scored a run within the fourth on an RBI from Jamie Mullin and 4 runs an inning afterward a blast from Spangler.

Rocklin scored within the sixth and added one other within the seventh before De La Salle made the ultimate out.

De La Salle improved to 21-7. Rocklin is at 24-11.

Department II

No. 2 St. Ignatius 6, No. 7 San Marin 3

The reigning NorCal Division II champions got off to a powerful start, constructing a four-run lead after two innings and defeating visiting San Marin of their opening game.

Archer Horn had a success and two RBIs, and Evann Smith and Makai Susor each scored a run to prepared the ground for SI, which rebounded well from a loss to Archbishop Mitty within the Central Coast Section Division I finale on Saturday in San Jose.

Chase Gordon and Spencer Guido combined for nine strikeouts for SI.

The Wildcats (21-10) host third-place Redwood on Thursday.

San Marin finished the sport with 22:9.

Department III

No. 5 Christopher 12, No. 4 Liberty-Madera 4

Christopher held a seven-run lead after 3 1/2 innings and defeated host Liberty in a NorCal first-round game.

Although the Cougars had only seven hits, they benefited from three errors and entered the sport against top-ranked Oakmont on Thursday.

Sam Guenther, Mason Dubenko and Aiden Simeon each had two RBIs for Christopher (20-8).

Liberty finished the sport with a rating of 30-3.

No. 6 Justin-Siena 10, No. 3 The King's Academy 2

The King's Academy couldn’t stop Justin-Siena's offense and the Braves scored a dominant road win.

The Knights cut Justin-Siena's result in two within the fifth inning, however the Napa school scored a run within the sixth inning to win the sport.

Ethan Johnson hit a house run within the loss and TKA finished 18-11-2.

Department IV

No. 1 Piedmont 13, No. 8 Capuchino 1 (5 innings)

Three days after losing to Justin-Siena by 10 runs within the sectional final, Piedmont bounced back impressively in its NorCal opener, sweeping past Capuchino in a mercy rule result to advance to the semifinals at home against fourth-seeded Colusa on Thursday.

Peter Krumins had two doubles and scored three runs, Dimitri Papahadjopoulos and Markos Lagios each hit three runs and Shafer Dando struck out two to offer the Highlanders the lead.

Seve Sanchez pitched 4 innings for Piedmont, which improved its record to 18-9.

Capuchino is 20-11.

No. 3 Mountain View 8, No. 6 Leroy Greene Academy 4

The Spartans reached the semifinals after defeating Leroy Greene Academy at home.

Mountain View scored three runs within the third, one within the fourth and two within the fifth after Leroy Greene led 3-2.

Christian Wenks led Mountain View with three RBIs. Luke Orrock, Christian Bandy, Clay White and Chase Caringella each scored a run.

Mountain View travels to Sacramento on Thursday to face No. 2 Bradshaw Christian.

Department V

No. 1 Menlo School 8, No. 8 Redding Christian 0

Ryan Schnell, Jackson Flanagan and Ben Salama combined for a two-hitter and Jack Freehill had two hits and three RBIs to guide Menlo School to a house victory over Redding Christian in NorCal play.

Luke Rogers added two hits, including a double, and two RBIs as Menlo improved to 22-9.

Redding Christian is 17-14-1.

No. 5 Oakland Tech 5, No. 4 Lowell 4

Gyasi Rapier had two hits, including a double, and three RBIs to guide Oakland Tech past Lowell and into the Division V semifinals.

The Bulldogs also got two hits and two runs from freshman Kalen Thomas.

Tech plays at No. 1 Menlo on Thursday.

Soft ball

First League

No. 7 Whitney-Rocklin 2, No. 2 Archbishop Mitty 0

Top-seeded St. Francis was not the one top-seeded team within the West Catholic Athletic League to suffer a surprise first-round exit within the NorCal Division I playoffs.

Madilyn Novello scored Whitney's first run within the third inning and Mya Flindt gave the visitors one other run within the sixth inning when Whitney struck out second-seeded Mitty.

McKenna Woliczko was left stranded at second base within the sixth inning and Megan Sutton also ended the sport at second base in a game wherein the Monarchs simply couldn’t get any of their 4 runners across the plate in favorable position.

Mitty's Mia Rodriguez, Keira Brady and Corri Hicks all had hits against Hannah Duncan, who had 10 strikeouts. Monarch pitcher Kyliegh Mace also struck out 10 times in a whole game.

Mitty finishes the season 23-5. Whitney travels to No. 6 Oak Ridge, which defeated defending champion Hollister.

Department II

No. 3 Willow Glen 1, No. 6 Oakdale 0

Alanna Clincy made her impression within the circle and on the plate in Willow Glen's Division II first-round win over Oakdale.

After Katelynn Dilbeck hit a triple to left field, Clincy brought her into center field with a sacrifice fly in the primary inning. Clincy added a double later, but after that she made her biggest impact as a pitcher.

Clincy pitched the whole game, managing five strikeouts and allowing just 4 hits. Willow Glen improved its record to 23-7 with the win and can host Tracy on Thursday.

Department III

No. 7 Capuchino 3, No. 2 Cardinal Newman 2 (8 innings)

Capuchino senior Liz Do helped the Mustangs win Division III when she scored the game-winning run with a single to center field within the eighth inning.

This goal capped a furious comeback late in the sport that saw the CCS Division II champions trail 2-0 firstly of the seventh inning in North Bay.

Lola Sierra led off the seventh inning with a double and Avery Motroni hit her second home run in as many games into left field to tie the sport.

Sierra managed a strikeout, a flyout and a swinging punchout in the fast seventh inning, then closed the eighth inning to assist Capuchino improve his record to 18-11.

Capuchino will travel to No. 3 Dixon for the semifinals.

Department V

No. 3 Christopher 16, No. 6 Lowell-San Francisco 5

After declining to play in NorCal, CCS Division IV champion Aragon was given one other likelihood and defeated Lowell-SF within the Gilroy school's NorCal Division V opening game.

Alyssa Farrow led the Cougars with a triple and 6 RBIs, and Bella Loredo and Brianna Diaz Cruz each scored two runs. Jenessa De La Cruz had three hits for Chrisopher, which had 15 total hits.

Christopher improved to 16-10 and can travel to No. 2 Los Molinos for the following round.

No. 4 Leigh 11, No. 5 St. Bernard's 1

After the 320-mile trip from Eureka to San Jose, the visiting team, St. Bernard's, played just five short innings as Leigh claimed the Division V run-rule victory.

Elise Haneta had three RBIs and three steals, probably the most on the team, and Camryn Manning-Alarcon had two RBIs. Freshman Liliana Pon and sophomore Madison Oliver each had two hits for the San Jose school, which improved to 12-14.

Leigh will travel to face No. 1 team Big Valley Christian-Modesto within the semifinals.

CLEVELAND – The Oakland A's did not decelerate the Cleveland Guardians' offense late last month when the 2 teams met for a season-opening four-game series on the Coliseum.

That proved to be the case again on Friday, because the A's allowed five runs in the underside of the fifth inning and never recovered in a 10-2 loss to the Guardians, opening a 10-game road trip.

Starter Joe Boyle allowed a two-run home run to Tyler Freeman within the second inning and Steven Kwan and Andrés Giménez each scored two runs within the fifth inning, helping the A's fall to 1-4 in games against the Guardians this season. In those games, Oakland was outscored 39-13.

Cleveland starter Triston McKenzie (2-2) slowed the A's by allowing one run in five innings and striking out a season-high six. The right-hander had just five strikeouts in his first three starts after missing much of last season with an elbow injury.

Josh Naylor added a solo home run and Estevan Florial had a career-best three hits for the Guardians, who’ve won five of their last six and have the perfect record within the AL Central at 14-6. It's Cleveland's best start since 1999.

A's third baseman Abraham Toro hit his first profession leadoff home run and Brent Rooker added a house run off Scott Barlow within the ninth. Oakland is 7-5 after starting the 12 months with seven losses in eight games.

Boyle (1-3) made his fourth start and allowed seven runs in six innings. The Cleveland resident walked 4 hits and conceded five hits.

In the fifth, Boyle issued two walks because the Guardians loaded the bases. Kwan doubled and scored twice before Giménez scored two more together with his single.

“Other than the fifth, I thought I was pretty solid and efficient,” Boyle said. “Without these walks in the fifth part it would be a completely different trip.”

Freeman's wind-assisted home run hit the foul pole in right and scored Will Brennan, giving Cleveland a 2-1 lead within the second. Josh Naylor blocked a solo shot from Kyle Muller within the eighth.

The Guardians opened the sport with five runs within the fifth, highlighted by Kwan's two-run double. Giménez followed with a two-run single and got here home on successful by José Ramírez.

“There was some weak contact, but again, it's the walks and the free bases that really killed Joe tonight and caused us to fall behind in the fifth inning,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “I sent him out again for the sixth time. It's a part of that development that I still wish to get him back on the market and see how he recovers from that tough innings.

“He recovered in the sixth game but that’s part of that maturation process. When you get a few guys on base, you just try to slow the game down and he’s still growing.”

Oakland began a 10-game trip that included series with the Yankees and Orioles. The A's have one other stretch of 10 straight road games from May 10-19.

TRAINING ROOM

Athletics: OF Brent Rooker (thoracic cartilage) got here off the injured list after missing nine games and appeared as a pinch-hitter within the sixth. Manager Mark Kotsay said he would start on Saturday.

Guardian: RHP Gavin Williams (right elbow inflammation), who has been on the IL since March 25, is scheduled to throw three innings in a simulated game Saturday in Goodyear, Arizona.

NEXT

A's LHP Alex Wood (0-1, 8.10 ERA) has the third-highest ERA within the majors amongst pitchers with not less than 15 innings pitched. He also allows the third-highest OPS at 1.042. He faces Guardians LHP Logan Allen (2-0, 5.06 ERA), who beat Oakland and Seattle in his first two starts but gave up nine runs over 9 2/3 innings in his last two games.