Messick looks like a veteran, holds champs scoreless through 6

LOS ANGELES -- Watching Parker Messick hold the two-time defending champion Dodgers scoreless over six strong innings in his season debut Monday, it could be easy to forget that the lefty was making only his eighth big league start.

The 25-year-old punched out five Dodgers and allowed only five hits (four of them singles) as the Guardians won, 4-2, and handed L.A. its first loss of the season.

“What an outstanding outing that was,” said manager Stephen Vogt. “It just felt like he was in control the whole time, stayed smooth, executed pitches, got quick outs. Pitch count was really low; he was working efficiently. He did his job and then some tonight.”

“If you watched his debut [last season], that didn’t seem like a debut,” Vogt added. “This is who he is. He’s ready to pitch in the big leagues; he’s been ready to pitch in the big leagues. I’m excited to watch him all year.”

Messick was indeed efficient, needing only 76 pitches (51 strikes) to get through six innings. He threw six different pitches for strikes, generating 10 whiffs. His four-seamer topped out at 95.5 mph.

“It’s the first one of the rookie year, and I had a lot of time to prepare, knowing when I was throwing, so just really tried to control emotions, execute the game plan and take it one pitch at a time,” Messick said. “There’s a dangerous hitter one through nine in that lineup, so you just really have to execute every pitch.”

The 2022 second-round pick debuted on Aug. 20 last season and posted a 2.72 ERA in seven starts down the stretch as the Guardians transitioned to a six-man rotation during their dramatic late-season comeback to win the American League Central.

Vogt said Messick’s determination was clear from the beginning of Spring Training.

“He came to make the team, that was very apparent,” he said. “We knew we were going to have a competition; all of our pitchers were aware there was going to be a competition. He came in with one goal. He was like, ‘I’m making this team.’ Worked tremendously hard all winter, got himself into great shape, and he’s been throwing the ball well all spring.”

Even Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing had to give props to the rookie.

“You don’t roll through a lineup like this and limit them to no runs for however many he went. He threw his tail off. He looked really good tonight. Sometimes you gotta tip the cap, but at the same time, we’d like to see him again."

Guardians catcher Austin Hedges, who went 2-for-4 with two runs scored as he celebrated his 10th year of MLB service time, said Messick embodies “the lost art of truly pitching.”

“He’s got different pitches, he can throw them all in different locations,” Hedges said. “He brought out a couple of weapons that he hadn’t used a lot in the past, like the changeup to the lefties, and obviously that’s about as good a lineup as we’re going to face, and he just dominated.”

Hedges said Messick’s talent and his poise are testaments to who he is as a person, not just as a pitcher.

“He’s a very, very mature young man,” Hedges said. “… I think it’s the person. It’s just the human in him; he’s an ultra, ultra-competitor, he believes in himself, he wants to be great, and he goes out there, and he’s got a big pair downstairs. He goes out and shows that every single time he pitches.”