Israeli-born MLB pitcher Dean Kremer making his debut for the Baltimore Orioles in a 5-1 victory over the New York Yankees. Photo: Reuters via Kenneth K. Lam/The Baltimore Sun/TNS.
Israeli-American Major League Baseball player Dean Kremer enjoyed a dream debut as a starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles in their 5-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday.
Kremer struck out seven in six innings as he pitched in his major league debut at Camden Yards Stadium in Baltimore, calling it a “dream come true.”
Orioles coach Brandon Hyde applauded the performance of Kremer — who joined the Orioles in 2018 and has been hailed as a top pitching prospect. “Only allowing one run shows a lot about his character and composure,” he told The Baltimore Sun.
Kremer was born to Israeli parents and had his bar mitzvah in Israel. He competed in Team USA during the 2013 Maccabiah games and helped the team take home the gold. He previously played for Israel’s national baseball team for three years and was also named the European baseball championship’s most valuable pitcher.
He became the first Israeli citizen to sign with a major league team in 2016 when he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but did not play in the major leagues until Sunday.
“I was born here in the United States, but I go back and practically live [in Israel] for two months out of the year in the summer, so it’s definitely home,” Kremer told the Las Vegas Review Journal in February.
Kremer’s triumph over the Yankees was duly noted by his friends on the Israeli baseball scene, as well as by the Israeli Embassy in the US.
.@DJ_KREY6 is now the first #Israeli to pitch & second to play (after @RyanLavarnway) in the majors!
Mazel tov Dean! #Birdland https://t.co/CBGI7aywlj
— Embassy of Israel (@IsraelinUSA) September 6, 2020
Mazel Tov to one of our own, #TeamIsrael pitcher @DJ_KREY6 who will make his @MLB debut today! https://t.co/AjqLEQL87F
— Israel Baseball (@ILBaseball) September 6, 2020
