GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota — It’s more than a feel good story for Caleb Thielbar.
He almost quit baseball last summer before his hometown team called. On Tuesday, Thielbar pitched in a major league game for the first time in five years.
“It’s still hard to believe that it’s real honestly,” he said after the game.
Against the Pirates, the lefty went 2⅓ innings in relief, allowing two earned runs and also striking out three batters. Minnesota won, 7-3.
Thielbar made his MLB debut with the Twins in 2013. After several years and some arm issues, he bounced around the minor leagues and even played for the St. Paul Saints. Then, at 33 years old, Thielbar received another opportunity with the Twins at spring training.
“That’s one of the worst things that you can do is give up on yourself,” Thielbar said. “There are a lot of people out there right now that are hurting and hopefully the Twins can bring them some joy.”
Manager Rocco Baldelli presented Thielbar with the game ball after the Twins win on Tuesday.
Now it’s a new chapter to his ever-changing story.