CLEVELAND, Ohio – Indians hitters gave pitcher Zach Plesac a three-run lead before he even stepped on the mound Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium, so any pressure he felt wasn’t likely related to the game itself.
“I definitely had the butterflies,” Plesac said after pitching Cleveland to a 10-1 win against the Royals. “The nerves were there. I really just wanted to come in and get these guys a chance to win and do my part.”
Plesac did not disappoint during his comeback from exile at the team’s alternate training site in Eastlake, tossing six strong innings and limiting the Royals to one run on four hits with no walks and six strikeouts for his second win of the season.
It was the first of what will likely be many opportunities for Plesac to rebuild his damaged relationship with teammates after he violated curfew and the club’s COVID-19 protocols by staying out in Chicago on Aug. 8 following Cleveland’s win against the White Sox.
Plesac and his now ex-teammate Mike Clevinger were placed on the restricted list for four days after the incident and subsequently optioned to the club’s alternate training site. Clevinger returned to the Indians on Aug. 26 to start against Minnesota, but was traded to San Diego on Monday. Plesac spent another week in Lake County before getting his shot to return Tuesday. The significance of the moment was not lost on the 25-year-old righty.
“It means everything to me,” Plesac said afterward. “This group of guys are so special. Going through everything we did, it was a lot of learning, from not only myself but my teammates of me. It’s something we can look forward and know that we all have each others’ backs and that’s how I feel now.”
Acting manager Sandy Alomar Jr. said Plesac showed remarkable poise and was sharper than anybody could have anticipated after not pitching in a competitive environment for such a long stretch.
“I can’t believe after four weeks he came in and his command was completely there,” Alomar said. “The changeup was great. He executed his pitches. He was good. It was like he never left.”
Plesac said the key to staying sharp while he was in Eastlake was to remain consistent with his routine.
“I just stayed attacking every day like it’s my last day, just being actively present and looking to get better each day,” Plesac said. “It didn’t matter where I was. I had a job to do and it was to get to work.”
Plesac said his gameplan Tuesday was to exploit Kansas City’s lineup with his changeup, and he did that by executing his fastball down to open things up.
“Last time I faced them a lot of guys were leaning on that slider away,” Plesac said. “So we just had to keep a good mix. Berto did a good job of reading their swings and getting on a good gameplan with me and I just followed his lead.”
Alomar said Indians players have already turned the page on the incident for both Clevinger and Plesac.
“You can’t be upset forever,” Alomar said. “You have to forgive people. Those guys really conveyed a message that they were repentant for what they did, and they did a great job. They went down there and just waited for their turn. The guys welcomed them back.”
Plesac appreciated the way his teammates communicated with him and supported him while he was away. He pledged to learn from the experience and put the team first moving forward.
“For my teammates to make me feel supported is something that stretches greater than the game, so it’s awesome to see those guys and I appreciate them,” he said.
