Nick Robertson, Jonny DeLuca make major league debuts for Dodgers in same game

It’s been a busy first half of the season for Dodgers rookies, and on Wednesday night against the Reds two more made their major league debut. Jonny DeLuca started in center field, and Nick Robertson pitched two innings in relief at Great American Ball Park.

Five Dodgers have made major league debuts in 2023, with DeLuca and Robertson joining Michael Busch (April 25), Gavin Stone (May 3), and Bobby Miller (May 23).

This was the first time two Dodgers debuted in the same game in nearly nine years, since outfielder Joc Pederson and pitcher Yimi García each played their first game on September 1, 2014.

DeLuca, who was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday, got the start against Reds left-hander Brandon Williamson, with DeLuca hitting southpaws to the tune of .310/.388/.635 in the minors since the start of 2021.

In the first inning DeLuca lined out to right field, and in the third hit one even harder, a 95.7-mph liner but right at third baseman Kevin Newman, the latter with a .660 expected batting average per Baseball Savant.

In the sixth, DeLuca worked an eight-pitch walk.

Robertson was called up Tuesday, added to the 40-man roster for the first time, and entered Wednesday in the fifth inning.

His first batter faced was Elly De La Cruz, who made his debut Tuesday and on Wednesday already homered and tripled, showing off many of his eye-popping tools. Robertson made quick work of De La Cruz with a three-pitch strikeout, resulting in cheers from the large group of Robertson’s friends and family in attendance.

“They were all just really happy. They were emotional, a couple tears were shed,” Robertson told reporters after the game, per SportsNet LA. “They were all just really excited for me.”

Robertson retired all six batters he faced, throwing 15 of his 22 pitches for strikes. He got eight called strikes and two swinging strikes, and touched 96.5 mph on his fastball, averaging 95.3 mph. Robertson struck out three.

Wednesday was the 31st game since moving to Los Angeles that the Dodgers had at least two players make their major league debut. Only nine of those games came before expanded-roster September.

The record for LA Dodgers major league debuts in one game is four, on April 12, 1962 against the Reds at Dodger Stadium. Pete Richert set a record by striking out his first six batters faced. Joe Moeller pitched the final four innings in what would have been a save except the stat wouldn’t exist for seven more years. Both Larry Burright and Dick Tracweski pinch-ran in that game.