Ethan Salas, 20, is set to start Game 2 for the San Diego Padres against the Chicago Cubs, becoming the youngest player to catch in a major league postseason game. Called up on Sept. 1, the 20-year-old finished the regular season 10-for-24 and earned the spot with clutch hitting and strong defensive skills. He will catch Nick Pivetta, who has worked with Salas during the regular season.
Bob Didier previously held the record at 20 years and 230 days old during the 1969 NL Championship Series. Salas, a left-handed hitter, provides a natural matchup against Kevin Gausman, the Cubs' right-handed starter, after Matthew Boyd opened the series. San Diego won the opener 8-0 and carries an 18-21 record into the contest.
The Padres signed Salas for a $5.6 million bonus in January 2023, choosing to keep him despite trading away other top prospects. The team enters hoping to advance to Milwaukee for the division series this weekend.
Source: ESPN MLB · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing