Dodgers News: Rookie Jonny DeLuca is Adjusting to New Role in Big Leagues
With all the different injuries that the Dodgers have seen this season, they have been forced to call up some prospects that not many people ever saw coming. It can be seen as a positive however because now they know what some of these players can do and whether or not they believe in them long-term as good production options.
But this season has been trying for all parties involved with the Dodgers organization. Injuries and inconsistent play is a bad mixture but the team is slowly starting to come along nicely. One of the young players that made his debut this season is outfielder Jonny Deluca.
The native of Thousand Oaks, California, which is just north of Dodger Stadium, Deluca has shown that he can hang in the big leagues to an extent and has provided the team with needed depth. On the year, he has hit .233 with one home run and three runs batted in. He continues to learn and grow his game with more experience than he is getting at this stage. Deluca spoke about his role with the team this season.
“I’m obviously in a different role than I ever have been just throughout my minor league career and but feeling more and more comfortable with it and just the process of it. And I’m just looking just contribute in any way possible.”
Via AM570 LA Sports Radio
Coming up from the minors to provide his hometown team with needed support likely wasn’t something that Deluca ever dreamed of for this season. But it’s been his reality and the Dodgers are happy to have him.
He hit his first career home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Dodgers a late lead against the Pittsburgh Pirates this past week. LA would go on to lose the game but Deluca showed that he could hit in crucial situations. This moment and just being on this stage gives him the confidence to keep pushing forward to be the best player he can be.
“Just finding something that gives you confidence every day to go out there and perform at your best — something that doesn’t change that you can do every day.”
As the season goes on, Deluca has stayed patient and is taking in every moment with the big league roster. Nobody knows how long he will be with the team but he has seen 19 games so far with them.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens to Deluca with players coming back from injury but at least LA has seen him in the big leagues and now can make more of an informed decision on what to do with him moving forward.
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