While the Angels were dealt some bad news when up-and-coming star reliever Ben Joyce was placed on the injured list, another, much less-heralded, member of the organization received a second chance and realized his dream.
Michael Darrell-Hicks has had several uphill battles in his young career. Landing with the Angels as an undrafted free agent in 2022, the big right-handed reliever got his first shot at realizing his big league dreams when he was called up to replace Ryan Johnson, who spent some time on the paternity list and has also been riding high and realizing some big dreams.
Unfortunately, while that call-up gave Darrell-Hicks the right to brag about making the big league roster, he was sent down before he could fulfill his ultimate dream of pitching in a major league game.
While losing Ben Joyce was a setback, Michael Darrell-Hicks was called up again, this time pitching an inning in relief in the series opener in Houston.
While Michael Darrell-Hicks big league debut didn’t go the way he wanted, he has a lot to be proud of
In the sixth inning, Darrell-Hicks took the mound in Houston, with the game slipping away from the Halos after Houston chased Jack Kochanowicz and Garrett McDaniels and led 7-2. Unfortunately, he gave up three hits and three walks, totaling four runs in his inning of work.
Nonetheless, simply making an appearance is a victory for the reliever. Unlike other professional sports, simply being drafted does not guarantee a spot at the top level. While undrafted free agents in all sports are unlikely to make their respective teams, this is especially true for players like Darrell-Hicks, who can spend years languishing in obscurity.
Darrell-Hicks spent six years in college and overcame the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as an injury that required Tommy John surgery, all of which had him considering retirement in the past.
Instead, he’s worked hard to improve his craft, and the Angels have certainly noticed. He began 2024 in AA with the Trash Pandas, posting a sparkling 1.73 ERA over 41.2 innings, which earned him a promotion to AAA. Things did not go well in Salt Lake City, but his 4.35 ERA in 20.2 innings demonstrated that he belonged at that level.
Darrell-Hicks had some ups and downs this spring training season, recording a 4.50 ERA in six innings while striking out an eye-popping 12 batters per nine innings. That appeared to be enough to propel him up the Angels’ trust tree, with him becoming the first reliever to make the jump from AAA to the majors.
While the Angels hope Joyce does not miss an extended period of time, Darrell-Hicks will undoubtedly have more opportunities in his absence. Now that he’s made his first major league appearance, he’ll set his sights on loftier goals like recording his first major league strikeout and pitching a scoreless inning.
Even if Darrell-Hicks’ career ends here, it’s a significant accomplishment and a bright spot in an otherwise disastrous performance against the Angels’ bitter rivals. Who knows, perhaps Michael Darrell-Hicks has more surprises in store for the Halo fans. No matter what, it’s difficult not to root for the guy.
