Will Wagner, the son of former relief pitcher and seven-time MLB All-Star Billy Wagner, was so preoccupied with speaking to the media and preparing for the Toronto Blue Jays' Monday night game against the Los Angeles Angels—Wagner's MLB debut—that he forgot to get tickets for his father and his fiancee.
After the game, a 4-2 Blue Jays win that saw Wagner collect three hits, including his first career RBI, the 26-year-old told the media that his family almost missed the first pitch of his big-league debut.
"My dad texted me and was like, 'Hey, we still can't get in,'" Wagner said. "I was like, 'Oh gosh, I've got to get them tickets.' But we got it all figured out."
Will Wagner’s MLB debut got off to a hilarious start pregame:
— Hazel Mae (@thehazelmae) August 13, 2024
“My fiancee, my dad (Billy Wagner) texted me, ‘hey, we still can't get in’ I was like, oh gosh, I forgot to get the tickets.” 😆
Wagner was so busy with media and prep for the game, his family almost missed 1st pitch pic.twitter.com/NRvVupRYqo
Aside from the pregame hiccup, Wagner's debut was picture perfect. He became just the fourth Blue Jays player in franchise history to have three hits in an MLB debut.
"Just growing up in big league clubhouses, I kind of know what to expect," Wagner told The Associated Press. "It was a nerve-wracking day for sure, but once you get that first at-bat out of the way it's all good."
Wagner, acquired in a July 29 deal that sent starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi to Houston, has experience playing first, second and third base, versatility that figures to lend him plenty of playing time for Toronto in the remainder of the 2024 season.
And plenty of chances to remember tickets for his family!
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Billy Wagner's Son Forgot to Get Tickets for His Family to MLB Debut.
