Lefty Returns To Majors For 1st Time Since 2019

It's been three-and-a-half years since he's thrown a pitch from a major league mound but in the truest spirit of dedication and simply never giving up, left-handed pitcher Thomas Pannone finally got the call back to The Show, with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Hear from the newest Brewers pitcher, Thomas Pannone: pic.twitter.com/WjCJSzYCvV

— Curt Hogg (@CyrtHogg) June 28, 2023

"I definitely wanted to believe that I'd have the opportunity to get called up eventually if I kept throwing the ball good," said Pannone upon his arrival in the Milwaukee clubhouse. 

The 29-year-old signed a minor league deal with the Brewers this past offseason and has performed extremely well at Triple-A Nashville, posting a 2.70 ERA in 53.1 innings, with a 50:13 strikeout to walk ratio, along with a 1.08 WHIP. 

He last pitched in the big leagues with the Toronto Blue Jays back in 2018 and 2019, compiling a 7-7 record, a 5.43 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.

Since then, he's spent time in the minor league systems of the Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox, as well as pitching last year in Korea. 

"Pitching in Korea definitely helped; I got a lot of confidence in my game." He posted a 2.72 ERA over there. 

Although he's always been a starter, the Milwaukee rotation is pretty much set at the moment, with Brandon Woodruff set to re-join them sometime after the All-Star Break. Pannone could work in a swing role for now.

Photo: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports