Former Razorback Evan Lee Makes Major League Debut

Mets record four hits, two earned runs against Nationals' starter in 5-0 win

Mason Choate | Jun 2, 2022

NEW YORK — Former Arkansas two-way player Evan Lee became the most recent pitcher on a long list of Razorbacks to appear in a Major League game.

The southpaw earned the start for the Washington Nationals in a 5-0 loss to the New York Mets at Citi Field on Wednesday.

The Bryant native finished the day with 3⅔ innings pitched, surrendered four hits, two earned runs, walked three and struck out two. He threw 67 pitches in his debut.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Evan Lee (59) throws a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning at Citi Field.

Lee started things off with a pair of quick outs on five pitches. His first Major League pitch was a strike to Brandon Nimmo, who took the second pitch for a ride to deep right-center for Lee’s first big-league out.

Another quick line out was followed by a single from Fransisco Lindor, the first hit Lee allowed in his MLB career. The next at bat resulted in a four-pitch walk to lethal hitter Pete Alonso, but Lee countered with his first career strikeout against Mark Canha.

Evan Lee's first career MLB strikeout.

Making the fam proud!@budweiserusa // #NATITUDE pic.twitter.com/PfkByUh0cw
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 1, 2022

The second inning presented much of the same for Lee. He started things off with by getting J.D. Davis to groundout to first and earned his second career strikeout — this time Eduardo Escobar was the victim.

Former Arkansas Razorback Evan Lee made his major league debut Wednesday against the New York Mets after being called up from the Harrisburg Senators, where he posted a 3.60 ERA. Lee was a two-way player for the 2018 College World Series runner-up Arkansas squad.

The two quick outs were followed by a pair of two-out baserunners after a walk and a single to left. The damage was controlled, as Lee bounced back with a one-pitch fly out to left to end the inning.

Similar to the first two innings, Lee started the third by getting Starling Marte to pop out to first and Lindor to ground out to second. He then walked the always-dangerous Alonso for a second time, but followed by forcing Canha to ground out to second to end a 14-pitch inning.

Davis led the fourth inning off with a single — the third hit surrendered by Lee. A foul out and a walk later, Tomas Nido hit a single into center field that allowed Davis to score. An error by Dee Strange-Gordon on the same play allowed the second run to score. Both runs were ruled earned, despite the error.

Lee bounced back by forcing Brandon Nimmo to line out to right field and was then pulled from the game by manager Dave Martinez. After the game, Martinez told the media that he expects Lee to make another start for Washington this season.

The appearance for Lee was just a spot start due to a depleted Nationals pitching staff, but he will remain on Washington’s 40-man roster.

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