Athletics pitcher Mason Miller points to catcher Willie MacIver after winning a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
Athletics catcher Willie MacIver throws the ball to the pitcher during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
Athletics catcher Willie MacIver, left, high-fives pitcher Mason Miller, right, after winning a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
Athletics pitcher Hogan Harris, left, and catcher Willie MacIver, right, walk to the dugout during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
Athletics pitcher Mason Miller points to catcher Willie MacIver after winning a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
A’s catcher MacIver gets go-ahead hit, throws out runner to end game in big league debut at age 28
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) 鈥 Willie MacIver hit a go-ahead single in the eighth inning of his major league debut. Minutes later, the 28-year-old catcher threw out a runner trying to steal second for the final out that ended the Athletics’ 11-game losing streak.
Athletics pitcher Mason Miller points to catcher Willie MacIver after winning a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) 鈥 Willie MacIver hit a go-ahead single in the eighth inning of his major league debut. Minutes later, the 28-year-old catcher threw out a runner trying to steal second for the final out that ended the Athletics’ 11-game losing streak.
鈥淚 woke up hoping for a Gatorade bath at the end of the game and, man, I鈥檝e never felt such a good feeling with such cold water,鈥 he said after the on Sunday and stopped the Phillies’ nine-game win streak.
MacIver was among brought up from the minors on Friday. He started Sunday in place of Shea Langeliers in the day game after a night game.
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鈥淭his is part of the talk that we had in spring training, it was going to take the whole army that was in the room,鈥 said manager Mark Kotsay, who watched the end from the clubhouse following his .
MacIver, hitting .389 with two homers and 30 RBIs at Triple-A Las Vegas, grounded out in the second and fourth against Jes煤s Luzardo, then struck out in the sixth.
After Trea Turner homered in the eighth off Hogan Harris for a 4-3 lead, another Friday call-ups sparked the rally.
Logan Davidson walked and scored on Lawrence Butler’s triple against Matt Strahm. MacIver fouled off a fastball, then drove a cutter into center field to bring home the go-ahead run.
鈥淚’m always upset about walks,鈥 Strahm said. 鈥淚 just feel like I’ve had too many too close together.鈥
, Mason Miller allowed a two-out single in the ninth to Alec Bohm. Johan Rojas pinch ran and MacIver, who had been in the minors since 2018, threw to shortstop Jacob Wilson, who tagged the sliding Rojas on an elbow.
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鈥淚 had family here, friends, teammates, ex-teammates,鈥 MacIver said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a dream come true. I can鈥檛 even put it into words.鈥
Rojas at 29.9 feet per second has the fifth-highest sprint speed in the majors among players with 10 or more opportunities, according to Statcast.
MacIver was selected by Colorado in the ninth round of the 2018 amateur draft from the University of Washington. He played in the 2021 Futures Game with Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodr铆guez and Spencer Torkelson.
MacIver became a minor league free agent last November and signed a minor league contract with the Athletics a month later.
鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful for my family and for my support system,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e been everything to me and I obviously wouldn鈥檛 be here without them and like I can鈥檛 thank them enough. ... The fact that they could be here and see my first hit and how that game ended, man, it鈥檚 awesome.鈥
Davidson started at first a day after Nick Kurtz left the game because of a left hip issue. He had two hits and two RBIs a day after a forgettable debut.
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Davidson entered as a pinch runner for Kurtz in the 10th inning. He was thrown out at the plate, called for obstruction and ended by striking out.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of confidence that I have in this kid,鈥 Kotsay said. 鈥淚鈥檝e invested a lot of time, we鈥檝e had a lot of conversations through the last two seasons about what it was going to take for him to be a big leaguer and he has not backed down from anything that I鈥檝e given him and to see the reward come today and just his first start and contributing and having such an impact to the win, was awesome.鈥
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