Houston Astros right fielder Cam Smith gave a heartfelt reaction to his MLB debut. The 22-year-old has received massive hype going into this season, especially after a very successful Spring Training. Smith didn’t look to be under any pressure on Opening Day against New York, as he went 1/3 and played a key role in the Astros’ 3-1 win. The rookie got his first hit on his first pitch.
In a postgame interview with Houston Chronicle reporter Matt Kawahara, the rookie got honest on what this moment meant to him.
“Before the game, for the first time ever, I had to force myself to eat. Like I was not hungry at all. I think the nerves were kicking in. I definitely felt that energy before I got on the field. And just to go out there and … connect with the fans, it was awesome.”
The Astros rookie is set to have many more special moments going forward
Smith is joining a Houston roster built to win now and expects to be a contender in 2025. The franchise is coming off its fourth straight AL West crown. Unfortunately, the Astros’ season ended surprisingly to the upstart Detroit Tigers in the American League Wild Card round. While several franchises will come into this year with championship-or-bust mentalities, Houston does have the upside, once again, of collecting another AL pennant. But this team will need Cam Smith to continue the form he’s been in over the past few weeks.
The franchise returned most of its core, with third baseman Alex Bregman being the headline departure to the Red Sox over the offseason. Framber Valdez started on Thursday and was his usual terrific self. The two-time All-Star threw for seven scoreless innings against a formidable Mets lineup. Along with Cam Smith’s contributions at the plate, catcher Yanier Diaz and center fielder Jake Meyers each recorded an RBI as the Astros’ three runs in the first three innings were enough to seal the victory.
Overall, Cam Smith is bound to go through plenty of growing pains over the next few months. But the 2024 first-round pick is already showing maturity beyond his years, and the best is yet to come. With decorated veterans like Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez on the roster, Smith will have terrific teammates to turn to in any trying times. It’s a grind of a season, but the star rookie looks ready for the moment.
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