Nick Davila is making a name for himself with the Tacoma Rainiers.
Initially called up from Class-A Modesto as a fill-in starter, Davila has pitched like the Rainiers No. 2 starter over the past three weeks.
Last night Davila tamed the high elevation of Isotopes Park, limiting Albuquerque to just four singles and two runs (one earned) over seven innings. He walked just two, and tied his career-high with eight strikeouts while earning his first Triple-A win. Davila got 17 swings-and-misses, the second-most by anyone pitching in a Triple-A game yesterday. He lowered his ERA to 3.86 in three starts for Tacoma.
Davila tamed an Albuquerque team that scored 17 runs on 21 hits Tuesday in the series opener, and easily leads the PCL in runs scored. It was the first time the Isotopes have been held to two runs or fewer since April 26.
It’s impressive stuff from a guy who had never previously pitched above the Low-A classification, and was released by the Detroit Tigers in March.
Davila originally signed with Detroit in July of 2020, after going unselected in the Covid-shortened five round draft. The Tigers used him at Low-A Lakeland in the Florida State League for two seasons, then released him in early March. The Mariners signed him two weeks later, and initially sent him to Low-A Modesto.
Three weeks ago the Rainiers needed a starter in Salt Lake City, due to injuries to Taylor Dollard and Easton McGee. Someone in the Mariners organization identified Davila as the guy who could fill in, and he has taken the opportunity and run with it.
A 24-year-old out of the University of South Florida, Davila has shown the maturity and mental toughness needed to succeed in the treacherous pitching environments of the Pacific Coast League. He’s featuring a 90-94 mph sinker, a hard curveball, and a change. There is absolutely no reason to send him back to Modesto – he’s showing he belongs here.
RAINIERS DAILY
YESTERDAY: The Rainiers won a rare pitcher’s duel at Isotopes Park, taking a 3-2 decision. Nick Davila pitched seven innings and allowed just four hits and two runs, one earned, while matching his career-high with eight strikeouts. Mason McCoy homered, Colin Moran stroked an RBI double, and Jake Scheiner‘s sac fly in the eighth binning brought home the winning run. Tacoma has shutout relief from Riley O’Brien and Matt Festa to close out the game.
TODAY: Tacoma Rainiers (19-22) at Albuquerque Isotopes (17-24), 5:35 (Pacific).
OPPONENT AFFILIATION: Colorado Rockies.
OPPOSING MANAGER: Pedro Lopez.
SEASON SERIES: Tied, 1-1.
PITCHERS: LHP Tommy Milone (3-0, 2.77) at LHP Ty Blach (0-0, 5.68)
A pair of 30-something lefties go head-to-head in the Land of Enchantment.
ROSTER MOVES: None today as of blog posting time. Our last roster move was May 5 – this has got to be a record in the Dipoto era.
HOT HITTERS: Jake Scheiner has hit safely in 12 of his last 14 games. He ranks tied for second in the PCL with 12 homers… Mike Ford has 46 RBI, which still leads all of professional baseball despite Ford having just one RBI in his last nine games… Cesar Hernandez has hit safely in eight of his last nine games… Zach DeLoach has a five-game hitting streak.
OPPONENT NEWS: Albuquerque just went 2-4 in a six-gamer at Las Vegas… after starting the season 10-6, and ‘Topes have lost 18 of 25… Nolan Jones has been one of the top hitters in the PCL this year, batting.348 with 12 home runs and 40 RBI… an Albuquerque returnee from 2022, Coco Montes is batting .331 with 37 RBI… Gig Harbor product Michael Toglia went and got himself called up to the big leagues the day before the series against his hometown team, so congrats to him… former Rainiers lefty Fernando Abad was also called up Monday, but the Isotopes do still have ex-Rainiers from last season Matt Koch and Phillips Valdez, plus another former Rainiers reliever Matt Carasiti.
BROADCAST: All games will be broadcast free on a live audio stream which is available right here.
Unfortunately, there is no traditional terrestrial radio station carrying the games at this time.
PCL SCOREBOARD: Follow all league games in real-time with links to broadcasts and Gameday screens right here.
Links:
- And the first feature article in a newspaper on a Rainiers player this season comes to us courtesy of the Albuquerque Journal, catching up with former Isotope Pat Valaika.
- The Mariners got roughed up by the Red Sox yesterday, and they are now 3-3 on the road trip. They’re off today before playing at Atlanta tomorrow.
- Seattle is trying to get the second base position firmed up, according to this report.
June 1, 2023