From Surgery to the Show: Inside Khristian Curtis’ Journey to His Major League Debut

On July 18, the Pittsburgh Pirates saw one of their most intriguing pitching prospects step on a big league mound for the first time in the second game of a doubleheader versus the Cleveland Guardians. This pitcher was right-hander Khristian Curtis, an electric arm who has flown through their minor league system over the previous two seasons, slowly inching his way into the spotlight along the way.

Curtis would go on to dominate in his debut, marking the fulfillment of what was a childhood dream of Curtis’ in the process. However, under the surface, this was the completion of a journey that saw Curtis rise from a horrific botched ulnar transportation surgery and overcome more adversity than most pitchers in professional baseball.

Not only did this injury nearly keep him off the mound for the rest of his career, but it could’ve also affected his ability to use his right arm for the rest of his life. Yet, through it all, Curtis remained faithful, and his efforts paid off the second he stepped onto a major league mound for the first time.

The remarkable story of Curtis’ journey to the show is nothing shy of truly inspiring and heartwarming, serving as a testament to the unyielding resilience required to turn a near-catastrophic medical nightmare into a major league reality.

To truly appreciate the magnitude of Curtis pitching under the bright lights of Progressive Field, one has to travel back to where his career began, long before he was dazzling hitters with multiple plus offerings.

Curtis’ Injury

Ahead of the COVID-shortened 2020 Major League Baseball Draft, Curtis was lighting hitters up on the summer circuit, impressing scouts with almost every single pitch he threw. He had seen his velocity tick up, and the underlying metrics were eye-catching.

Although he was committed to Texas A&M, the then-high school senior was fielding plenty of draft interest from major league teams around the country, meaning he had a difficult choice on his hands. Ultimately, Curtis chose Texas A&M, as the opportunity to pitch on one of the biggest stages in college baseball, the SEC, was too good to pass up.

The First Elbow Injury

However, the week before he got to college, Curtis began to feel something was off with his elbow.

“I just kind of had some lingering nerve pain,” Curtis said, “Like some kind of bruising in the elbow.”

Naturally, he decided to alert the A&M doctors when he got to campus to see if they could help him: “We ended up going in, and they were just like, ‘Oh, it’s just an aggravated nerve, we’ll do a PRP injection and then see what happens there.'”

So, that’s the direction Curtis took, and after three or four of those injections, it was clear that something larger was wrong under the surface.

Following every injection, Curtis tried to play catch, but was never able to feel better afterwards. After three to four attempts at making this work, he went under the knife for the first time in his career. It was an exploratory surgery, as the imaging kept coming back inconclusive as to whether or not the UCL was healthy.

Well, during surgery, the doctors discovered what the cause of his pain could be: “They went in, opened it up, and my UCL was kind of pulled off the bone, and my nerve was extremely inflamed.”

While this would have been a long road to recovery in its own right, little did Curtis know that this was just the beginning.

“So now they had fixed the UCL, and as they were moving the nerve back in place, somehow there was a plastic suture left in my nerve,” Curtis explained. “And so as I was rehabbing, throwing and stuff like that, it started to fray away and cut it in half.”

While he didn’t know it in the moment, Curtis could tell something was wrong almost right away.

The Second Procedure

“Immediately when I woke up from surgery, I was told I wasn’t going to be in a crazy amount of pain, but if I missed one dose of medicine throughout the night, I’d wake up in the most pain I’ve ever been in,” Curtis said. “And so, right off the bat, I was like, there’s definitely something going on here.”

His nerve was in so much distress that his arm would shake uncontrollably.

Despite having an inkling that something was wrong, Curtis went through the rehab process. He was still able to regain his velocity, reaching the mid-to-high 90s before the start of his next college season. But with each start he made, his velocity progressively slipped, and it got to the point where he was only able to reach 85 mph in his fifth and final start that season.

In the middle of that start, Curtis pulled himself out of the game.

“I couldn’t really grip the ball, didn’t have any feeling in my hand, and pretty much from the back of my triceps down,” Curtis said. He then went under the knife a second time after his nerve didn’t respond to some testing, as the doctors needed to find out what was wrong, and imaging wasn’t showing any UCL damage.

“And so they went in there, found the stitches, the sutures in the nerve, the fray,” Curtis said. “They said, imagine sawing a rope and you get to the very last few threads of it, that’s what my nerve looked like. It still gives me chills.”

Curtis mentioned that while he was under, the doctors told his parents that they didn’t feel like they could operate on his nerve, because if they made one small mistake, it could ruin his career. Not only that, but they also mentioned that there was a possibility of causing a severed nerve.

After that point, a nerve trauma specialist was able to remove the sutures without causing any more damage, performing some sort of graft that allowed the nerve to grow back together. Eventually, Curtis is supposed to fully regain feeling, but he mentioned that he hasn’t quite gotten to that point just yet.

“Still, this side of my hand is a little numb,” Curtis said when pointing to his ring and pinky fingers. “I can still feel certain spots, but it’s kind of spotty throughout, feeling-wise.”

The Next Steps

Following this operation, Curtis would travel to Omaha with the Aggies for the College World Series in 2022, soaking up that experience even though he couldn’t step on the field. Unfortunately, the week before the team left for Omaha, he received some devastating news after being called into his coach’s office.

“I went into that meeting, and they pretty much told me that I was a liability,” Curtis said regarding the meeting. “They didn’t know if I was going to be as good as I was before, and they were taking my scholarship.”

After that meeting, Curtis said, “That was my cue to go somewhere where I felt needed and wanted.” He then found a home after visiting Arizona State University, mentioning he immediately felt these things he had been searching for on his visit.

“It was no doubt that was the spot for me to go,” Curtis said regarding his visit with ASU.

Even though he had found a new home in Arizona, the complications from his nerve injury didn’t disappear just yet, as even the basic everyday tasks were a challenge for him. “I couldn’t eat cereal. I couldn’t eat anything with liquid that needed a spoon with my right hand because my hand was always super shaky,” Curtis said. “I couldn’t write right-handed, it was crazy.”

With these many injuries and complications, it would be normal to doubt if he’d ever pitch again. However, in Curtis’ case, he remained positive, leaning on his faith to guide him through the journey back to the mound.

“I was in the mindset of just putting everything in God’s hands and whatever happens, happens,” Curtis said. “And obviously, it worked, and he got me here today.”

As a positive person, Curtis mentioned that he never really had any doubt in his mind that he’d be back on the mound someday, which is incredibly commendable given all he had gone through.

“If it’s meant to be, then it’s meant to be,” Curtis said, “If it doesn’t work out, then I’d move on. But I never really had that doubt in my mind that my career was over.”

The Journey to the Major Leagues

The summer after his final college season was when his dream of becoming a major league baseball player took the next step, as the Pirates selected him in the 12th round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Despite not pitching professionally that season, the next two years had quite a lot in store for him.

His career began the next season, when Curtis pitched to a 4.06 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 75.1 innings of Single-A baseball, showcasing a well-rounded, refined arsenal along the way. It was a great way to get off on the right foot as a professional, but the next season is when things really began to take off for the then-22-year-old.

Following his impressive showing in Single-A, Curtis would begin the 2025 season in High-A, where he dominated, handling a tough, hitter-friendly environment with nothing but grace. Across 108.2 innings at the level, he posted a 3.98 ERA, struck out 116 hitters, and kept walks to a minimum.

Curtis also had the chance to be a part of baseball history, as he pitched six innings of a combined perfect game against the Aberdeen Ironbirds on Independence Day. This was the first nine-inning perfect game thrown outside the complex leagues since 2017, an incredible accomplishment.

He’d close out his breakout campaign with a pair of innings with the Double-A Altoona Curve at the end of the season before returning to the level in 2026. Even though he was still two steps from the big leagues, Curtis knew he could impact the game in the big leagues whenever he had the shot.

When asked if he expected he’d make his debut this season when first assigned to Double-A Altoona, Curtis said, “I knew I had the ability to. It’s the six inches between the ears that really makes up the biggest difference in getting there. Just being in the present, going one day at a time.”

Before the promotion to Triple-A came, Curtis pitched to a 4.73 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 53.1 innings pitched, showcasing some impressive stuff every time he touched the hill.

“I mean, it wasn’t always pretty outings,” Curtis said, “but the stuff has always been where it’s just whether I could control the stuff,” he laughed.

Then, the Pirates saw a lot that they liked, promoting him to Triple-A Indianapolis. “Whenever they promoted me to Triple-A, it was a huge confidence boost,” Curtis mentioned when talking about his promotion.

He’d go on to record 30 strikeouts in his first 21 Triple-A innings, which caught the attention of the Pirates despite his higher ERA. Once again, the stuff stood out and separated itself from the rest of his peers.

The Call and His MLB Debut

Finding Out

After having their game postponed on July 17 in Cleveland, the Pirates scheduled a doubleheader the next day, and they needed a fresh arm to come help cover some innings for the club. With that in mind, the big league club turned to none other than Khristian Curtis, giving him the call he had dreamed of throughout his entire life.

“I had no clue what was going to happen or even a thought that it was coming this soon,” Curtis said. “But, you know, I always thought, if I go out there and do what I know I can do, I feel like I can help the team and rather quickly. That was my goal.”

Curtis mentioned that he always has his Pirates hat at the front of his locker, so that whenever he opens his cubby, he can be reminded of where he wants to be.

His promotion to the big leagues came as a surprise, but an incredibly fun one at that. He was on the road with the Indianapolis Indians in Columbus, and he was scheduled to pitch the following Tuesday, Sunday, but something happened, and his start was bumped to Sunday. With the delay, he threw a light touch-and-feel session on Friday before getting off the mound and doing his conditioning for the day.

“I went back inside to just hang out in the locker room, showered, changed, did all that kind of stuff, getting ready to go out before the game,” he said. “And Vinnie comes in, our pitching coach, and was like, ‘Hey Curt, you got a second?'”

From that point on, they went into Eric Patterson’s, the Indians’ manager’s, office, and he asked him if he felt good, saying he had seen him throw earlier, making a point to especially check in after the gap due to the All-Star break.

“This weather’s not messing with you, right?” Vinnie said this due to the poor air quality in that area.

“I was like, ‘No, I feel good,'” Curtis said in response.

“Well, something happened. Can you throw for us tonight in Columbus?” Vinnie asked. Curtis committed to throwing, mentioning he felt great with the extra time off.

“What about tomorrow night in Cleveland?” Vinnie asked. That was the question Curtis had been waiting for his entire life; he was going to the big leagues.

“It was just kind of right there; my heart dropped,” Curtis said.

After that, he mentioned that he hopped on a group FaceTime call with his family and fiancée, mentioning that it was everything he could have dreamed of and more.

Debut Day

Curtis then traveled to Cleveland, preparing to make his major league debut against the Guardians. He was told he’d likely throw in the second game over the first, but to stay ready just in case. Naturally, he had to stay loose, which was a bit of a challenge considering his lack of experience coming out of the bullpen.

“I played catch before the first game, which I’ve never really thrown well in advance before the game has started, just because I’ve always been a starter,” Curtis mentioned. “I was a little more on the tired side just sitting throughout the day, trying to keep my body going, not sitting too long and getting tight, especially with the rain delay.”

Once the first game ended, Curtis found out that it was very, very likely he was going to throw in the second game; he was just unaware it would be for five innings. After Mason Montgomery opened the game with one inning scoreless, it was his time to shine and step onto the mound for the first time.

“All these years of grinding and rehab and the mental drain, just to be here, it finally paid off and to do it in front of a sold-out, packed house, too, in Cleveland,” Curtis said when reflecting on the moment.

While he made sure to take a moment, he recalled the umpiring crew that day being extra accommodating.

“The umpires were actually asking me, ‘Hey, do you want an extra second? We’ll restart the clock for you. Soak it up, take a couple deep breaths, and go.'” Curtis said. “The home plate umpire after the first inning actually came up and congratulated me and everything. It was super cool.”

After taking a second to enjoy the moment, it was go time for the 24-year-old. With his first pitch being a 97-mph heater painted on the black, he was locked in and ready to go.

“I just kind of blacked out in the process and kept going, got the first strikeout out of the way, then the first walk out of the way, and then the double play, and just kind of cruised from there,” Curtis said regarding his outing. “It was awesome; I couldn’t be more grateful to get that opportunity this year.”

After pitching through a jam shortly after, Curtis recalled the fourth inning being the biggest adrenaline rush, as he struck out the side.

“Punch out the first guy, punch out the second guy, and then you get the next guy to 0-2, you’re like, ‘Okay, here we go,'” Curtis said. “And then, it just happened and executed some pitches and just had fun with it. That was it, just breathe.”

When it came to executing pitches, Curtis used his cutter masterfully in this outing, picking up his first major league strikeout with this offering.

“The cutter has really been the glue to my arsenal in the last year,” said Curtis. “Whenever the four-seamer isn’t on, the cutter has always been there to pick up that slack.” This season, its velocity has been up, and it’s been more effective than ever, especially to lefties, becoming a huge piece of his arsenal.

Not only has Curtis dominated hitters with his cutter, but he’s performed well against lefties all year long, which was a huge part of his game prep before his debut. Knowing that the Guardians were a lefty-heavy lineup, he mentioned that he was told to go out there, not change anything, fill up the zone, and dominate like he had all season long.

Curtis did just that, as he went five scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and two walks, while striking out four batters in the process. He also made franchise history with the longest scoreless debut for a Pirates pitcher out of the bullpen since 1964, a fact he was surprised to learn after the game.

“In the moment, I didn’t think anything of it,” he mentioned. “I was just like, ‘Cool, got the first one out of the way,’ but it was as good as it could’ve possibly been.” Curtis then reflected on how cool it was to be part of that group.

Once his stellar outing was in the rearview mirror, Curtis was able to see a group of about 25 of his family and closest friends.

“It was awesome, that’s all I heard because the whole stadium went quiet except my section behind home plate,” Curtis said about his family’s cheers during his outing.

He was also able to take home some keepsakes from his debut, which was undoubtedly a dream come true. Curtis was gifted his first pitch, his first strikeout, and his family was given some of the authenticated baseballs that he used in some fashion during his debut.

After hearing about Curtis’ miraculous journey, I couldn’t help but wonder what he’d tell himself right after his injury now that he’s been to the big leagues, and what he thought that version of himself would say back. He again leaned on the idea of trusting his faith, putting his head down, and continuing to work no matter what.

“That’s all I’d tell myself. Just keep trusting Him [God] and keep trusting the process, taking it one day at a time,” Curtis said.

His resilience during this time certainly paid off, as he’s now done something that very few people can say they’ve accomplished by making it to the big leagues. While this outing was historic, special, and a night he’ll never forget, it’s just the beginning of what will be a long and successful career for the right-hander.