But What Do I Know? . . . Liam Hicks, Nick Pivetta, Terry Puhl, Jack Morris, Tim Raines

April 6, 2025

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

Some Canadian baseball news and notes from the past week:

Hicks records first MLB hit and first RBI

On Wednesday, Miami Marlins catcher Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) recorded his first major league hit when he singled to left centre field in the bottom of the second inning off New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes. The Marlins eventually lost the game 6-5.

Hicks added another single on Friday in the Marlins’ 10-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park, before collecting two more hits on Saturday as the Marlins rebounded for a 4-0 win. Hicks’ first hit on Saturday – a single in the fourth inning – scored centre fielder Derek Hill for Hicks’ first MLB RBI.

A Toronto Mets grad, Hicks is the Marlins’ backup catcher this season. The Marlins selected him in the Rule 5 draft from the Detroit Tigers in December.

The 5-foot-9, 185-pound receiver was chosen in the ninth round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Texas Rangers. He played parts of four minor league seasons, splitting 2024 between double-A in the Rangers’ and Tigers’ organizations.

Quantrill rebounds in second start with Marlins

Forming an all-Canadian battery with Hicks on Saturday, right-hander Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) tossed five scoreless innings to earn his first regular season win with the Marlins. Quantrill allowed four hits, struck out four and did not walk a batter.

It was a strong bounce-back start for Quantrill who had permitted six runs in 4 1/3 innings to the Mets in his first start of the regular season on Monday.

The Ontario Terriers and Junior National Team grad got a late start this spring when he didn’t sign with the Marlins until February 12. Quantrill, 30, went 8-11 with a 4.98 ERA in 29 starts for the Colorado Rockies last season and was non-tendered following the campaign.

In all, he is 43-34 with a 4.07 ERA in 161 appearances (123 starts) in six big league seasons with the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians and Rockies.

Pivetta dazzles in Padres’ debut, struggles in second start

Nick Pivetta (Victoria, B.C.) started and allowed just one hit in seven scoreless innings against the Braves in his regular season debut with the San Diego Padres last Sunday at Petco Park. The Padres won the game 5-0. Pivetta struck out four batters and did not issue a walk. The only hit the Braves recorded was a third-inning single by Orlando Arcia.

Pivetta wasn’t nearly as good in his second start. In the Padres’ 7-1 loss to Chicago Cubs yesterday at Wrigley Field, the Junior National Team alum allowed three runs on six hits in three innings.

The 32-year-old Canadian signed a backloaded four-year, $55-million contract with the Padres on February 17.

A Junior National Team grad, Pivetta has pitched in eight previous major league seasons for the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox.

O’Neill continues hot start

Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, B.C.) had a double, a triple and two RBIs to help propel the Baltimore Orioles to an 8-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. O’Neill is now batting .379 with a 1.029 OPS in eight games for the O’s this season.

With his start in the outfield on Saturday, O’Neill played his 598th major league game which moved him past Sherry Robertson (Montreal, Que.) into 26th place all-time among Canadian players.

O’Neill signed a three-year, $49.5 million contract with the Orioles in December. With the Red Sox in 2024, he topped the club with 31 home runs. A Langley Blaze and Junior National Team grad, O’Neill played his first six major league seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals from 2018 to 2023.

Soroka placed on IL

The Washington Nationals placed Michael Soroka on the 15-day injured list on Friday with a right biceps strain. The move is retroactive to April 1.

On Monday, Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) was removed from his start against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning after throwing a pitch and flexing his right arm. Following the game, he was diagnosed with a right bicep cramp and it was thought he might make his next start, which was scheduled for today. That plan was scratched, however, when his bullpen session was scrapped on Wednesday.

Soroka threw 83 pitches against the Blue Jays and allowed four runs in five innings and was saddled with the loss in his regular season debut with the Nats.

The 27-year-old, who has been sidelined with numerous injuries during his big league career, signed a one-year, $9-million contract with the Nationals on December 19 after pitching for the Chicago White Sox in 2024.

In total, in parts of five major league seasons, the Junior National Team alum owns a 17-18 record and a 3.67 ERA in 69 appearances (52 starts).

Forty-seven years ago, Puhl led off MLB season with a home run

It was 47 years ago today that Houston Astros outfielder Terry Puhl (Melville, Sask.) led off the 1978 major league season with a home run off Cincinnati Reds ace Tom Seaver at Riverfront Stadium. It was part of a 2-for-4 performance for Puhl. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to lead the Astros to a win. They lost 11-9.

For a good chunk of the 20th century, the first game of the major league season was held in Cincinnati. Why? Well, there have been a few explanations over the years, but the most popular is that it was a hat tip to the Reds being the oldest professional baseball team (They date back to 1869).

For the record, Puhl homering off Seaver was no fluke. He was 20-for-45 off the Hall of Fame right-hander during his big league career, good for a .444 batting average.

Mike Johnson made his MLB debut on this day in 1997

Mike Johnson (Edmonton, Alta.) made his major league debut with the Orioles 28 years ago today. The Canadian right-hander pitched four innings in relief of Mike Mussina in the O’s 9-3 loss to the Rangers at The Ballpark in Arlington. Johnson allowed two runs on four hits while striking out two. His first MLB strikeout victim was Domingo Cedeno in the bottom of the fifth inning.

That was his first of 14 appearances for the O’s that season before he was traded to the Expos on July 31.

Thirty-three years ago, Morris made Blue Jays debut, set record for consecutive Opening Day starts

Thirty-three years ago, in his Blue Jays debut, Jack Morris tossed a 144-pitch complete game to lead the Blue Jays to a 4-2 win over the Tigers at Tiger Stadium. It was Morris’s 13th consecutive Opening Day start which broke the major league record held by Tom Seaver and Robin Roberts.

Morris also recorded his first of 21 wins with the Blue Jays that season. That made him the Blue Jays’ first 20-game winner.

Morris started for the Blue Jays on Opening Day again in 1993 to extend his record (which still stands) to 14 consecutive Opening Day starts.

Raines made Expos return 24 years ago

Twenty-four years ago today, Tim Raines received a thunderous ovation from fans at Olympic Stadium as he walked to the plate in the bottom of the second inning for his first at bat as a Montreal Expo since 1990. He would draw a walk against Mets lefty Glendon Rusch and help the Expos to a 10-6 win.

Here’s the best footage I could find of the at bat:

Blue Jays release Pop

The Blue Jays released right-hander Zach Pop on Thursday and he is now a free agent. The 28-year-old reliever had been designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on March 27.

Pop (Brampton, Ont.) was shut down by the Blue Jays on March 21 with elbow discomfort. At the time, they said he would not throw for seven-to-10 days. The 6-foot-4 righty, who signed a one-year, $900,000 contract with the Blue Jays in January to avoid arbitration, registered a 5.40 ERA in seven relief appearances this spring.

The 2024 campaign was a rough one for Pop. Although he made a career-high 58 relief appearances for the Blue Jays, the Junior National Team grad recorded a 5.59 ERA in 48 1/3 innings.

In total, he posted a 4.89 ERA in 90 appearances for the Blue Jays after being acquired from the Marlins on August 2, 2022.

Support my nephew on Easter Seals National Red Shirt Day

May 28th is Easter Seals’ National Red Shirt Day. Red Shirt Day is a day when people across Canada come together and wear red to create a visible display of solidarity — to show their support for disabled people and their families and celebrate the achievements of disabled Canadians.

By wearing red or purchasing a red shirt or hoodie (information below) from Easter Seals, you will be supporting people like my nephew, Kalin, who lives with a physical disability. Kalin has cerebral palsy, but he doesn’t let that stop him from being a passionate voice for accessibility.

By wearing red on May 28th, you will be sending a message to our politicians that it’s not just Canadians living with disabilities that are pushing for a fully accessible Canada.

For those who want to support National Red Shirt Day financially, you can order an official shirt or hoodie from Easter Seals to wear that day. You can order the shirts through this link.

You can also support Easter Seals by participating in the Red Shirt Day Walk for Accessibility and Inclusion. My nephew is an ambassador for Camp Woodeden in London, Ont., and he will be participating in a fundraising walk there on May 25th. There are also walks in Kingston, Orillia, Sudbury and Whitby.

For more information on how you can participate in this walk, click here.

Trivia question

This week’s trivia question: Between his tenures with the Montreal Expos and Toronto Blue Jays, this position player made a combined nine Opening Day starts. Who am I referring to? Please share your answer in the “Comments” section below.

Last week’s trivia question answer

The answer to last week’s trivia question (By my count, Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) is the third Canadian catcher to play a regular season game for the Marlins. Can you name one of the other two Canadian catchers to play for the Marlins during the regular season?) was either Greg O’Halloran (Mississauga, Ont.) or Joe Siddall (Windsor, Ont.).