If you heard some loud noises the last few days in Amherst, they might have been coming from the Heim residence.
After Jonah Heim found out Monday that he was getting called up to the major leagues for the first time, he called his dad, Jamie. The proud dad rushed into Jonah’s brother’s room to alert him -- loudly, and the excitement continued, as James said, he “literally ran down the block yelling.”
“I tried to hold back some tears. It’s been a long time coming,” Jonah said in a call with Oakland Athletics beat reporters Tuesday. “He’s been there since Day One and I wouldn’t be here without him and my family. I can’t thank them enough.
“I don’t think he stopped screaming. Hopefully, he’s in a better place today.”
It figured to be loud again Tuesday night as Jonah, 25, made his major league debut, seven years after he was drafted in the fourth round in 2013 by the Baltimore Orioles. He was in the lineup, batting ninth against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.
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His first big-league plate appearance was a walk on four pitches from right-hander Kyle Gibson. In the fifth inning, he grounded out to Gibson.
The seventh inning brought a long-awaited moment as Heim got his first major league hit with a single to left on a 1-0 pitch with one out, ending Gibson’s night. Heim smiled and looked toward the sky after reaching first base.
He would add his first run, scoring when Mark Canha was hit by a pitch to give the Athletics a 7-3 lead.
In the eighth, he popped out to the catcher to finish 1-for-3 in Oakland's 10-3 victory.
"It's everything you dream of, just seeing the ball hit the ground," he said of his first hit. "I kind of blacked out during the swing. I remember hearing the ball hit the bat & I started running. As soon as it hits the ground, it's like everything you worked for coming to life."
Because of Covid-19, his parents, brothers and friends and family can’t make the trip to Arlington. Instead, they are having a socially distanced watch party outside the family home. Fifteen people were expected.
“Yeah, that’s obviously disappointing, but we understand with everything that’s going on in the world right now with COVID,” Jonah Heim said. “They’re definitely going to be watching, they’re going to be cheering, they’re going to have as many people over the house as they can. So it’s definitely going to be exciting.”
Before the game, Jamie Heim tweeted, “Wish we could be there but understand why we can’t. So we’ll set up outside turn it up loud and root like we were there at game. Love you kiddo and good luck.”
Ready to watch @Jonah_heim6 make his @MLB debut for the @Athletics. Wish we could be there but understand why we can't. So we'll set up outside turn it up loud and root like we where there at game. Love you kiddo and good luck. pic.twitter.com/MueaANdLmb
— James Heim (@13_heim) August 25, 2020
Heim began the season at the Athletics’ alternate training site in San Jose, serving as a member of the taxi squad. The No. 3 catcher often makes road trips and Heim was with the club in Texas when manager Bob Melvin told him about the roster move Monday. Then Melvin delivered the news that Heim would be making his debut Tuesday.
“BoMel grabbed me and sat me down and told me to look at his lineup and it took me a couple of seconds to realize what was going on when I saw my name on there,” Heim said. “I was speechless atthe time, really excited.”
Facing big-league pitching will be different than facing the top prospects in the Athletics’ organization, but Heim said he was ready.
“Just seeing live pitching, you can’t really put a price on that,” Heim said. “When you’re facing the good arms down there, it’s pretty realistic because they’ve got big league stuff. I feel ready to go.”
First career hit ✔️Jonah Heim will never forget this one. pic.twitter.com/KoiNd5det1
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 26, 2020
