With PCL title secured, Fresno Grizzlies eye Triple-A championship

The Fresno Grizzlies have dealt with a revolving roster all season.

They’ll have to adjust to it one more time with the Triple A’s grand prize on the line.

Amid Fresno’s euphoria of celebrating a first Pacific Coast League title in the franchise’s 18-year history, the Grizzlies were stripped of their ace after Dan Straily was promoted to the parent club Houston Astros.

Straily, who allowed just two runs in 13 innings during the postseason, had been scheduled to start in the Triple-A championship on Tuesday.

Instead, the Grizzlies will roll with 24-year-old Chris Devenski, who pitched solely in Double A during the regular season, when they take on the International League champion Columbus Clippers in a winner-take-all, one-game series for the Triple-A crown at Southwest University Park in El Paso, Texas.

“We’re happy for Dan,” Grizzlies catcher Tyler Heineman said Monday. “That’s the ultimate goal for all of us, to get to the majors. So that’s great for him.

“But things like that happen down here. That’s happened to us all year. You just make adjustments and do the best that you can. I still like our chances.”

A total of 55 players have suited up for the Grizzlies at some point this season – Devenski among them after his addition Wednesday following Corpus Christi’s elimination from the Double-A playoffs.

Devenski, who was a 25th-round pick by the Chicago White Sox in 2011, never has started in Triple A. But he did make two relief appearances with the Grizzlies against Round Rock during the PCL Finals and pitched two scoreless innings combined, allowing two hits and no walks with three strikeouts.

At Double A, the right-hander went 7-4 with a 3.01 ERA and 104 strikeouts to 33 walks in 119 2/3 innings. He made 24 appearances, with 17 starts.

Prior to the All-Star break, Devenski was nearly untouchable with a 1.16 ERA and 7-1 record. He cooled off and went 0-3 with a 5.62 ERA during the second half of the regular season.

“I know it’s going to be exciting,” Devenski said of getting the start for the Triple-A championship. “There’s going to be a lot of things going on. But I’m going to stay within myself.

“I don’t know too much about Columbus and their hitters. But they don’t know too much about me. I didn’t expect to get the start. But once I found out, I’ve been excited. I’m going to go out there, compete and do my best.”

It also should help the former Cal State Fullerton standout that Heineman has spent time catching Devenski at other levels. The two played together at Double A earlier this season and in Double A and Class A last year.

“He’s nails on the mound,” Heineman said. “All he does is compete. I think he’ll be fine.

“His last outing was OK. His first outing was great. It’s the same game. The hitters are a bit better here. He’s seen it. If he executes his game plan, he’ll be just fine.”

This story was originally published September 21, 2015 at 6:38 PM with the headline "With PCL title secured, Fresno Grizzlies eye Triple-A championship."