On “Otto-matic”: Glenn Otto’s Texas Rangers’ debut one to remember

The Texas Rangers have seen many players make their debuts in 2021, especially in the second half of the season.

But it’s going to be hard to top the debut performance RHP Glenn Otto put on Friday night against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field.

Called up to make the start, Otto delivered and then some, going five innings and punching out seven, while walking none and allowing two hits. The powerful Astros lineup looked listless and off-balance against the 25-year-old’s stuff.

It was truly a debut to remember, and one the Texas Rangers haven’t received from a pitcher since David Clyde way back when in 1973. So yeah, pretty rare and pretty special.

The pitch that made Otto’s night? A slider, which he said was a “new” pitch this season.

Glenn Otto had a memorable Texas Rangers debut pitching against his hometown Houston Astros

I mean, wow. If that pitch is new, then hitters would surely hate to see what it looks like old.

That slider was crisp and had lots of break, which garnered it attention from the Pitching Ninja, Rob Friedman.

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I mean just look at the way Otto fools Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman with that slider. Those aren’t easy hitters to make look silly, either. It’s also impressive to make Pitching Ninja in your first ever big league start.

Otto pairs that devastating slider with a good fastball and a developing sinker and changeup. That four-pitch mix, if it ever gels together, could easily make him a starter, as he’s projected to be.

Though the Texas Rangers would lose the contest 5-4 to the Astros, the result is meaningless in the big picture. What really matters is that the team might have uncovered a legitimate piece going forward for their pitching staff. And for an organization that has had trouble developing pitching over the years, that’s significant.

We’re feeling as good as we’ve ever felt about the Joey Gallo trade after Glenn Otto looked “Otto-matic” in his Arlington debut and considering the three other prospects acquired in the deal are raking in the minor leagues as we speak.

Can’t believe the Yankees traded this guy and only got Joey Gallo in return! We kid (kind of). But we mean it when we say it: Glenn Otto has us feeling giddy about the future.