By moving players at the bottom of the totem pole back and forth between the majors and the minors, every major league team revitalizes its shabby bullpen. On the shuttle back and forth from Triple-A, one hurler often emerges as the preferred player. The Angels are no exception, and it appears that one of the year’s most heartwarming tales has merited that dependable status.
Michael Darrell-Hicks has surmounted every challenge in his arduous path to the major leagues, even before being undrafted in 2022. Darrell-Hicks’ initial experience with professional baseball didn’t go as expected after a six-year collegiate baseball journey that included two institutions, a worldwide pandemic, and Tommy John surgery. He recorded a 10.61 in A-ball when he first joined the Halos.
Unfazed, the resilient right-hander set to work and over the next several years emerged as one of the Angels’ most reliable relievers in the minor league system, finishing with a 2.60 ERA in 62.1 innings pitched between Double-A and Triple-A last season.
He has already been called to the show twice this year. After Ryan Johnson was placed on the paternity list and top prospect Caden Dana pitched three innings in his place, he was first called up as the replacement-to-the-replacement. But when Johnson returned without showing up, he was sent down, so he would have to wait a little while longer to fulfill his dream of really pitching in the majors.
But when the Angels re-called Darrell-Hicks to replace star setup man Ben Joyce after he was placed on the disabled list, his status as a reliable asset was cemented. On April 11th, he made his big league debut. Although it didn’t go well—three hits, three walks, and four earned runs allowed in an inning of work—just getting that far was a significant accomplishment.
Despite another minor league demotion, the smart money is on Michael Darrell-Hicks getting another shot with the Angels
Darrell-Hicks made four more appearances with the Halos before being sent back down on April 23. Although it was an improvement, his second appearance did not provide the outcomes he was looking for, as he gave up one hit, one walk, and one earned run in a single inning.
Since then, over his last three appearances, Darrell-Hicks has thrown 4.2 scoreless innings, allowing just four hits and no walks while striking out three, recording his first career major league win along the way.
Given that he had just been on a run, the demotion must have hurt, but it seems that this is more about new arms than his performance. His ERA now stands at 6.75 for the season, but his 3.63 FIP shows how effectively he’s been pitching lately and the promise in his right arm.
Darrell-Hicks, one of the few pieces with options, was the unfortunate one sent down since the Angels were struggling and the bullpen was being challenged after Jose Soriano’s poor performance in which he only lasted 3.1 innings in his last start.
Darrell-Hicks’ chances of getting another chance with the big club increase with Joyce’s length on the disabled list and the pitching staff’s troubles. It is probable that he will continue to pitch hot in the lower leagues and push his way back to the Angels since he has a proven track record of overcoming hardship and an amazing support structure lead by his father, Bart Darrell.
If there’s one thing you should know about Michael Darrell-Hicks, it’s that you should never count him out. That could happen sooner rather than later.
