Irvin OK with routine disruptions

Cole Irvin was nervous, excited, anxious, thrilled and overwhelmed with everything that transpired during his majorleague debut last month at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium.

The entire Phillies fan base witnessed every bit of it on the television broadcast … on the face of his girlfriend Kristen Beat.

“I am so thankful my girlfriend felt all the energy I couldn’t portray out on that mound,” Irvin said. “I think her not being able to keep it together was everything I was feeling.

“I was trying to make sure no one could read what I was feeling.”

Cole Irvin has risen through the Phillies minor-league system by keeping his emotions in check and making sure opposing hitters don’t know what’s coming.

Irvin is not sure what is next. He is among those being considered to start Sunday in Atlanta for Philadelphia. If not, the lefthander is slated to start Saturday at Coca-Cole Park for Lehigh Valley against visiting Columbus.

Despite becoming the latest of four IronPigs starting pitchers (Drew Anderson, Enyel De Los Santos, Ranger Suarez) in the last year or two to have to deal with a shakeup to their routines at the expense of being in the major leagues, Irvin remains levelheaded and focused on competing to his capabilities.

“In a relief appearance [in the majors], you’ve got to treat it like a delayed start, a rain delay,” he said after last pitching out of the Phillies bullpen June 1 in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.

“You sit there a little longer, then you might only get three innings or two innings or one. But you have to allow yourself to not think about it and just get up and go.”

Irvin cruised through the minor-league system after a successful career at the University of Oregon, but has taken time to observe everything along the way.

As he’s fine-tuned his routine at the upper levels of the system, the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder watched De Los Santos, Anderson and Suarez deal with the yo-yoing between the majors and minors, starting and relieving.

Irvin has a different routine and different makeup than those three, but recognized that a pitcher’s routine is trumped by an organizational need.

“I got pulled after three innings and 34 pitches. I’m like, ‘I want more.’ But then I realized, ‘Oh, the team needs me on Saturday in L.A. … Again, you have to treat every situation like you’re not shocked by it. That’s the hardest part.”

Irvin’s psyche was challenged last season when he was passed up multiple times by the Phillies, despite being the International League’s best pitcher.

He never stewed or stormed around the clubhouse. Instead, he stayed the course he knows works for him. He studied film on certain days. He made sure he was hydrated and got proper sleep. And he talked to veterans about things he’d not yet experienced.

Irvin and his girlfriend are not yet engaged. They don’t have children. That has not stopped the 2016 fifth-round pick from taking notes from teammates about what he hopes lies ahead.

“I remember Matt McBride telling the team last year that his wife was pregnant and he was going to miss time during the season,” Irvin recalled. “I remember coming back from a road trip and seeing how happy he was.

“That’s what’s cool about upper levels. For a guy looking to become engaged and married to my girlfriend, I see how the family aspect affects guys. Guys love talking about their kids. That’s not a hard conversation to have with a teammate who has kids. The routine of your everyday life is coinciding with everyday duties at the ball field.”

A late-night phone call disrupted Irvin’s routine the night before he was scheduled to pitch May 10 at Coca-Cola Park against Indianapolis. Instead, he was traveling with friend and teammate Austin Davis to Kansas City.

Davis smoothed all the rough traveling edges for Irvin, who was making his major-league debut on Mother’s Day.

That allowed the sleep-deprived Irvin to focus on getting back on his routine.

“You have to make adjustments,” Irvin said. “It’s been an interesting four appearances in the big leagues so far. There will be more. Whatever they need, I’ll be ready. It’s a mindset. It shouldn’t hinder you.”

Morning Call reporter Tom Housenick can be reached at 610-820-6651 or at thousenick@mcall.com.