Garrett Stallings was the starting pitcher in Tony Vitello’s second game as the Tennessee baseball coach as the Vols fell to Maryland 10-4 on a February afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Eight years later, Stallings made his third MLB appearance against Tony Vitello and the San Fransisco Giants.
San Fransisco blanked the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 in Monday night’s series opener at Oracle Park, but Stallings turned in a strong outing against his former coach. Stallings pitched the seventh and eighth inning, retiring six of the seven batters he faced while picking up a strikeout. The right-handed pitcher kept Milwaukee in striking distance though the Brewers were unable to mount a comeback.
Stallings made his MLB debut in early July. Pitching twice, the Virginia native did not allow a run and allowed just three total baserunners in three innings pitched before Milwaukee demoted him to AAA-Nashville. But getting another crack at life in he big leagues, Stallings posted another scoreless outing.
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It was an eight-year wait for Stallings to make his MLB debut after the Los Angeles Angels selected the right-handed pitcher in the fourth round of the 2019 MLB Draft. The Angels traded Stallings to Baltimore in 2020 before the Orioles eventually traded Stallings to Milwaukee in 2024.
Stallings was one of the first stars of the Tony Vitello era at Tennessee, serving as the ace on the 2019 Tennessee team that made the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 14 years.
During that 2019 season, Stallings posted an 8-5 record, 3.33 ERA and 123 WHIP in 102.2 innings pitched. He was incredibly important in Tennessee making it back to the NCAA Tournament, notably throwing complete-game shutouts in key SEC wins over Ole Miss and Georgia that season.
Milwaukee remains in first place in the NL Central, boasting a 66-40 record and a six-game lead over the Chicago Cubs. It’s been a rocky first season for Tony Vitello in San Fransisco. The Giants are currently 45-61 and out of the NL playoff race.
