Mathias Set to Fulfill Lifelong Dream of Playing a Game at Oracle Park
8/11/2023 1:26:00 PM | Baseball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Mark Mathias has seen more than 30 San Francisco Giants baseball games at Oracle Park.
This weekend, he will be "living the dream" on the other side of the netting that separates the fans from the playing field.
A graduate of Irvington High School in Fremont, about a one-hour drive from San Francisco, Mathias was traded from the Seattle Mariners to the San Francisco Giants, his favorite team as a youngster, on July 31, for a player to be named later.
"Dreams really do come true," said Mathias. "I grew up watching Brandon Crawford, so it's surreal to take ground balls and do early work with him. Never take anything for granted. So proud to put on a Giants jersey."
San Francisco hosts the Texas Rangers, one of five organizations Mathias has played for during the last 12 months, for a three-game series Friday through Sunday.
Mathias was on a flight from Seattle to Texas when the trade was finalized at the end of July, a day prior to the Major League trading deadline.
"I was with Triple-A Tacoma, flying to Sugar Land for a series," said Mathias. "I got to baggage claim and the manager came up to me and told me I was traded to the Giants. I was in disbelief and thought he was joking.
"Once it finally set in, I was super excited. We used to go to at least two or three Giants games every year. I worked my whole life to be a San Francisco Giant, so it's nice to make it come true."
After playing four games for San Francisco's Triple-A team, the Sacramento RiverCats, Mathias made his Giants debut last Monday and produced a two-run single off Carlos Estevez, one of the top closers in the Major Leagues this season, in the ninth inning, highlighting a six-run rally from a 3-2 deficit.
"Based on the scouting report on the closer, I was just trying to be on time for the fastball," said Mathias. "He challenged me with three in a row. I swung and missed the second one and I was pretty late. I had to make a two-strike adjustment and choked up on the bat, widened my stance. I just wanted to put the ball in play. When you put the ball in play, good things can happen!"
Estevez had earned 23 saves in 23 save opportunities this season prior to a pair of blown saves in the last week, including Monday's loss to the Giants.
Mathias' hit extended the Giants' lead to 6-3 and San Francisco went on to beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 at Angel Stadium.
Mathias pinch hit for Crawford in the seventh inning of Tuesday's game and grounded out, then played second base in the seventh and eighth frames. He did not play in Wednesday's series finale and the Giants were idle Thursday.
A third-round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians in 2015, Mathias was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in November 2019 for Andres Melendez. Mathias hit .278 in 16 games for the Brewers in August and early September.
In 2021, Mathias injured his shoulder while making a diving catch in a Spring Training game. He underwent labrum surgery and missed the entire regular season.
After spending most of the first four months of 2022 at Triple-A Nashville, playing just six games for Milwaukee, Mathias and pitcher Antoine Kelly were traded to the Texas Rangers on August 1 for pitcher Matt Bush. Mathias played in 24 games for the Rangers in the final six weeks of the 2022 season, hitting .277 with five home runs and 16 RBIs.
Back on March 8, during Spring Training, Mathias was traded by Texas to Pittsburgh and played 22 games with the Pirates, hitting .231. On June 25, Mathias was designated for assignment and was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners on July 2. After hitting .345 in 16 games for Triple-A Tacoma, Mathias was traded to the Giants last week.
Since the beginning of the 2022 season, Mathias has played for five Major League organizations, including stops with five Triple-A teams and four in the Big Leagues He did not play in any Mariner games in his brief time in Washington state.
"I learned a lot about different ways each organization does things, from scouting reports, strength and conditioning, nutritional supplements," said Mathias. "I've been able to take the things I like and implement them into my routine.
"Every time you're traded, you have to learn everyone's name because that's super important to me," Mathias added. "From the teammates to the front office personnel … getting on the same page with all the coaches on my strengths and what makes me successful … trying not to change anything too abruptly but making the necessary adjustments. That is always a challenge.
"They say the game of baseball is all mental. But what people don't realize is the mental grind that comes into play off the field with being sent down, traded and DFA (designated for assignment). I've been through a lot this year and it's definitely tested me.
"Having a good support group and family keep me staying positive. My son Jaxon and high school sweetheart Gisela have helped me a lot too. They give me a separation from baseball when I get home from games. If you let your mind get caught up in the game 24/7, it can drive players crazy.
"Finding a way to let go of things you can't control is very important. As cliche as it sounds, sticking to the process and knowing where your feet are — that's super important to me."
Mathias, who celebrated his 29th birthday last week, has played second, shortstop, third, designated hitter and left and right field as a professional. He started at second base in Monday's game against the Angels and batted ninth.
Mathias claimed the Big West batting title in 2014 — the year Cal Poly captured its first Big West title and hosted an NCAA regional — with a .386 average and hit .356 the following year, earning first-team Big West honors both seasons.
The second baseman was Big West Field Player of the Year and a second-team All-American in 2014 and stole 21 of 29 bases in his three Mustang seasons. He was named to Cal Poly's All-Time NCAA Division I squad (1995-2019).
Mathias made his Major League debut August 3, 2020, as a pinch-runner for the Brewers against the Chicago White Sox. He hit his first Major League home run on June 11, 2022, for Milwaukee against the Washington Nationals, a two-run shot at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
Mathias, who currently wears jersey No. 6 for the Giants, also has worn 13 (Milwaukee), 9 (Texas) and 46 in the Majors.
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Former Cal Poly shortstop Brooks Lee has collected four hits in his first five games at Triple-A St. Paul. All four hits are singles and Lee has knocked in a pair of runs, both on singles in the first and fourth innings of the Saints' 6-3 win over Louisville on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old was promoted on August 3 to St. Paul, the Minnesota Twins' Triple-A team in the International League, from Double-A Wichita, where he hit .292 with 11 home runs and 31 doubles. He led all Double-A hitters with 42 extra-base hits and 31 doubles prior to his promotion.
Lee was the first player from the first round of the 2022 draft to play at Triple-A, a meteoric rise for one of baseball's best prospects. Zach Neto of the Los Angeles Angels went from Double-A straight to the MLB rather than making a stop at Triple-A.
After his promotion to the Saints, Lee was interviewed by KSTP-TV in St. Paul, discussing the difference in levels of play during his quick rise from rookie league to Triple-A, his future goals, his approach to the game, playing for his father, head coach Larry Lee, at Cal Poly, maintaining his health and other topics.
To view the seven-minute interview, click here.
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Despite giving up 11 earned runs in his last two starts, ex-Cal Poly pitcher Drew Thorpe was promoted to the Double-A Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League on Tuesday.
Thorpe was 10-2 with a 2.81 ERA in 18 starts for the Hudson Valley Renegades of the High-A South Atlantic League. Somerset opened a six-game series against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies on Tuesday. Thorpe has yet to pitch for the Patriots.
Thorpe, the New York Yankees' top-ranked pitching prospect, led all Yankee minor leaguers in ERA (2.81), wins (10), strikeouts (138) and WHIP (1.07) at the time of his promotion. The second-round pick by the Yankees in the 2022 MLB Draft, Thorpe's 138 strikeouts over 108 innings pitched with Hudson Valley are the second most in the minor leagues.
Thorpe has twice been named the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week this season, most recently for the week of July 17-23, where the 22-year-old right-handed starter set a new Hudson Valley franchise record with his 13-strikeout performance on July 22 versus Brooklyn over eight shutout innings, allowing only two hits. With the performance, Thorpe also surpassed the Renegades single-season strikeout record of 119.
Additionally, Thorpe was named the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Month for June, going 3-0 with a 0.31 ERA in four starts over the month, highlighted by a 25-inning scoreless streak, where he allowed just an earned run on 12 hits over 28 2/3 innings pitched.
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Pitcher Bryan Woo missed his scheduled start Wednesday night for the Seattle Mariners against the San Diego Padres at T-Mobile Park due to inflammation in his right forearm.
Woo was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to August 5. The Mariners are hoping that Woo will miss just two starts before he is eligible to return to the mound August 20.
"I don't think this is anything serious," said Seattle manager Scott Servais. "It just didn't feel 100 percent, so we're giving him a chance to catch his breath."
Woo pitched six innings against the Los Angeles Angels in his last start August 3, allowing two runs and four hits. He is 1-3 with seven no-decisions and a 4.75 ERA in 11 starts with Seattle since being promoted from Arkansas in early June.
Woo, who has 60 strikeouts and 17 walks in 55 innings, underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021 after injuring his right arm in a relief appearance for Cal Poly against Long Beach State in late April.
Woo's spot in the starting rotation was filled by top pitching prospect Emerson Hancock from Double-A Arkansas. Hancock allowed one first-inning run and two hits over five frames in Seattle's 6-1 win over San Diego on Wednesday, the Mariners' seventh straight victory.
Woo was scheduled for an MRI this week, but the results have not yet been released by the Mariners.
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Outfielder Nick Torres is hitting .338 for the Laguna Vaqueros in the Mexican League.
In 83 games this season, Torres has 106 hits, including 23 doubles and 11 home runs, and he has knocked in 61 runs.
Torres is 18th in the league in batting average, 14th in hits, eighth in doubles, 22nd in home runs and 11th in RBIs.
