Stephen Ridings became the first former Shelter Island Buck to play in Major League Baseball Tuesday night. The right-hander threw 16 pitches in one scoreless inning. He allowed just one hit while striking out the side in the 7th inning of a 13-1 Yankee win over the Baltimore Orioles at home in front of his family.
Ridings, 25, a native of Commack, graduated from St. Anthony’s High School and attended Haverford College. He was a member of the 2015 Championship Bucks team in the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League. Drafted by the Chicago Cubs, he was then traded to the Kansas City Royals in 2019 before being picked up by the Yankees in the off-season last year.
Ridings reportedly was called up because of a shortage of pitchers due to positive COVID tests. His grandmother passed away Monday, the day before his debut with the Yankees.
“To be able to have this moment with my family in the stands was very special,” Ridings said in a post-game interview. “In the midst of my family trying to figure out funeral plans and wakes and dealing with all that, getting the call today and having this moment with them was indescribable.”
In an interview with the media, Yankees manager Aaron Boone was effusive in his praise of Ridings: “This was our first time seeing him in person, and the stuff was impressive. He had a little emotion with it, had a little strut out there.”
HCBL President Sandi Kruel had this to say:
“We saw the potential in him based on his size and velocity,” she texted. “He came in and showed some good things before going on to a decorated career at Haverford. He joins the elite group of men we have had in or organization that made it to the show! Very proud of the Shelter Island Bucks and HCBL.”
In his Yankees debut, Ridings topped out at 101 mph on his slider and looked impressive albeit in a small sample size.
At 6-feet 8-inches and 220 pounds, Ridings should feel right at home in a clubhouse that features Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo.
Although not likely to last, Ridings currently has a 0.00 ERA and is averaging 27 strikeouts per 9 innings, according to baseballreference.com.
While the Shelter Island Bucks were unable to play this season, the team organizers will host a Bucks Appreciation Event at Fiske Field on Saturday, August 14 from 2 to 4 PM. Enjoy hamburgers and hot dogs, shop discounted team merchandise and participate in a 50/50 fundraising raffle in support of the 2022 season (tickets are available for $5 each at Shelter Island ACE Hardware – the winner need not be present at the drawing).
