Justin Dean Won a World Series Ring Last Year, But His First MLB Hit Is What He 'Almost Cried' About
You guys, sometimes a story just hits you. It reminds us why we pour our hearts into this game. This isn't about our Mariners, not directly, but trust me, you need to hear about Justin Dean. After EIGHT long years grinding in the Minor Leagues, he just blasted his first Major League hit, a three-run triple! He "almost cried." That's real.
Eight Years, 3,000+ Plate Appearances, and a World Series Ring
Imagine this wild ride. Justin Dean, recently called up to the Cubs, literally waited for his World Series ring from last year's Dodgers run. He left Triple-A Iowa for Wrigley Field, and the ring showed up right as he departed! "It’s crazy. It’s on the way," Dean smiled. "Just crazy timing." But that ring isn't the craziest part. This man spent eight years in the Minors, 745 games, over 3,000 plate appearances, without a single MLB hit. A 17th-round pick in 2018, he was a baserunning and defense specialist for the Dodgers last year. He played 18 regular-season games, 13 in the postseason, even helped seal a World Series win. Yet, he went a combined 0-for-3 at the plate. "Baseball’s a hard game," Dean stated. "You’re just trying to stay ready, and try to be realistic at the same time, you know?" The Cubs called him up Friday, planning to mostly use him as a pinch-runner.
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The Bases Loaded Triple That Made Wrigley Roar
Then Friday, things got wild. Seventh inning against the Blue Jays, Cubs up 16-2. Manager Craig Counsell sent Dean into center field to rest Pete Crow-Armstrong. With the bases loaded, Dean stepped up. He absolutely crushed a 1-2 sinker from submariner Tyler Rogers deep to right, past Blue Jays outfielder Jesús Sánchez. Dean took off, helmet flying, sprinting into second, sliding into third standing up with a three-run triple! The Wrigley Field crowd went nuts, a standing ovation. Even Crow-Armstrong was surprised it was his first hit, saying, "One thing I do know about him is that he works and works and works." Dean recounted: "Once I saw it land, I’m like, ‘Oh, there it is. That’s the first hit.’... Once I kind of settled in, I almost cried. I’ve been waiting a long time for that." His teammates went wild. Counsell summed it up: "When you’ve gone through what Justin’s gone through... and you don’t have that Major League hit yet, I think that’s probably what everybody felt."
Man, what a story for Dean! It just shows anything can happen in this game we love. While we're rooting for our Mariners, hoping Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh keep raking, it's these personal victories that truly make baseball special. The M's just shut out the Orioles 3-0, so our pitching staff is dialed in. Plenty of baseball left this season, and you know we'll be watching every pitch for our own incredible moments. Let's go M's!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.