Dustin Antolin

Position: RHP
Born: 8/9/1989
Height: 6'2
Weight: 230
B/T: R/R
Acquired: Drafted in the 11th round of the 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft (TOR)

Most Recent Stats at Time of Debut
CURRENT SEASON STATS: 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA and three saves in 12 games (one start) at Buffalo (Triple-A), striking out 25 and walking 11 while allowing 18 hits in 20 innings.

Info & MLB Debut Date
Contract purchased from Buffalo May 15 when LHP Brett Cecil went on the DL.
MLB Debut Date: 5/16/2016

Debut Details
May 16, in a 3-2 loss to the Rays. The second of six pitchers, he allowed three runs, all earned, on four hits in two innings, walking one and striking out one. Coming on for starter J.A. Happ with two on and no out in the third inning, Antolin retired Desmond Jennings on a line out before giving up a three-run homer to Curt Casali. Kevin Kiermaier followed with a single back to the mound before Antolin struck out Tim Beckham swinging and retired Brandon Guyer on a pop out. In the fourth inning, after a lead off fly out by Taylor Motter (who was also making his big league debut), Evan Longoria drew a walk and, after Steve Pearce flew out for the second out, Steven Souza, Jr., singled and came around to score ahead of Longoria on Jennings’ double to center. Casali ended the threat when he popped out.

Player Notes
Although Antolin was sent down the day after his debut, this is one of those totally unanticipated promotions that makes writing this column so much fun. In his eighth year in the Blue Jays’ farm system, the 2016 campaign marked the first time he’d even played at Triple-A. Signed out of high school in Hawaii at 18, he was immediately placed into a relief role where he has spent the majority of his career (making two starts, one in 2015 and one this year) in 262 games. He actually made the jump to full-season ball quickly, spending the 2009 season at Lansing (Class A) where he pitched for part or all of three seasons, spent part or all of three more seasons at Dunedin (High A) and then moved up to New Hampshire (Double-A) in 2013 where he stayed until making it to Buffalo this year. In 2015 with New Hampshire, he posted a 3.07 ERA in 37 games, striking out 55 while walking 18 in 56 innings.