SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Jason Gurka is a blip on the radar screen of Major League Baseball. His stats read like a modern day Field of Dreams “Moonlight Graham” character, with barely any service time.
Though he has less than 20 big league apperances, he has one claim to fame, and is looking to push his name out of obscurity and into the Rockies bullpen.
On Wednesday against San Francisco he took a step toward doing just that, accomplishing the rare feat of striking out four batters in one inning. Gurka relieved Chad Qualls in the eighth inning and struck out Mac Williamson for the first out. He followed with another K against Rando Moreno, but a dropped third strike allowed Moreno to reach first.
“It hit me after the dropped strikeout,” Gurka said. “Like man I have a chance to get four in one inning.”
Gorkys Hernandez was the next victim then Gurka fanned Andrew Susac swinging. He leaned on his curveball to get the strikeouts.
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“I made some good pitches,” he said.
Gurka’s most memorable appearance in baseball wasn’t even on the mound. In the early morning hours of Sept. 16, 2015, he played right field in the bottom of the 16th inning in a victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The game lasted five hours, 23 minutes and the teams combined to use 58 players.
“That’s the most scared I’ve ever been on a baseball field,” he said. “I hadn’t played outfield since junior college so being out there in Dodger Stadium was crazy.”
Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager hit a single to right which Gurka went down on one knee to make sure he fielded it cleanly.
“I was not going to let that ball get by me,” he said.
Gurka hopes he doesn’t let his big league chance slip through his fingers. The 28-year-old spent seven years in the Orioles minor league system before earning his shot with the Rockies last season. He made his big league debut August 29th against Pittsburgh. He allowed two hits and an earned run while managing one out. He struggled through the rest of his eight appearances, finishing the season with a 9.39 ERA in 72/3 innings.
In the offseason he worked on his mechanics to try and find his curveball again.
“I’m staying more straight up instead of dropping and driving and getting too low and creating a downward angle,” he said.
So far this spring it’s paying off. Gurka has allowed just three hits in three innings of work and has seven strikeouts.
“I can do better than what I did last year,” he said. “I just want to prove that.”
