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A few passing clouds. Low 59F. Winds light and variable..

A few passing clouds. Low 59F. Winds light and variable.

Washington relief pitcher Lukas Young (10) was second in the Frontier League with 20 saves.

Washington relief pitcher Lukas Young won five games and had a save in 20 others for the Wild Things, who begin Frontier League playoff action tonight at Schaumburg.

Washington relief pitcher Lukas Young has five wins and 20 saves for the Wild Things, who begin a Frontier League playoff series tonight at Schaumburg in a rematch of last year’s finals.

Washington relief pitcher Lukas Young (10) was second in the Frontier League with 20 saves.

Washington relief pitcher Lukas Young won five games and had a save in 20 others for the Wild Things, who begin Frontier League playoff action tonight at Schaumburg.

Washington relief pitcher Lukas Young has five wins and 20 saves for the Wild Things, who begin a Frontier League playoff series tonight at Schaumburg in a rematch of last year’s finals.

If any Wild Things game, from now to the end of the postseason, has Washington holding a lead in the late innings, then chances are that Lukas Young will be the last line of defense.

Young has put together an impressive comeback season as the Wild Things’ closer. The righthander from Mobile, Ala., was signed by Washington late in spring training even though he had not pitched in a game since 2019. He underwent reconstructive elbow surgery late in 2020 and had been with three major league organizations throughout his pro career, which started in 2017.

This year, Young not only proved to be healthy again but also put together one of the best seasons ever by a Wild Things closer, racking up a 5-2 record, 20 saves and a 1.66 ERA. He converted 20 of 22 save opportunities and struck out 47 batters in 43 innings. Young solidly filled the hole in the bullpen created when Zack Strecker, who last year became the Frontier League’s all-time saves leader, opted to retire.

Young could be a key player when the Wild Things begin a best-of-3 West Division playoff series tonight (7:30) against the Schaumburg Boomers at Wintrust Field in Illinois. Game 2 will be played Sunday (6:05 p.m.) at Wild Things Park with Game 3, if necessary, Monday in Washington.

“We didn’t sign him specifically for that role,” Washington manager Tom Vaeth said. “What Lukas showed me is he does a good job of maintaining his composure. He does a good job of curtailing the running game and he’s athletic enough to do a good job fielding his position.”

Young also has proven that he is healthy again and lived up to his reputation of being a strike thrower who pitches ahead in the count.

After being drafted in the 21st round in 2017 by the Boston Red Sox out of the University of Mobile, an NAIA school, Young walked only five batters in 30 1/3 innings in his first season of pro ball. In 2018, at Class A Greenville – where current Wild Things outfielder Cole Brannen was a teammate – Young had a sub-par season and admitted that he let the business side of baseball negatively impact his pitching.

“I had a pretty rough year,” Young admitted.

After being released by the Red Sox, he was signed four days later by the Atlanta Braves. In 2018, he played for two Class A teams and pitched in 33 games, which included 14 outings without allowing an earned run for Rome (Ga.). Young was caught up in the numbers game and released by the Braves.

He was invited to minor-league spring training with Minnesota in 2020 but there was no minor-league season that year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I was at home in November that year and I received an offer to go to Puerto Rico and play winter ball. That was just to get some innings in,” Young explained. “I was throwing my second bullpen session when I felt a pop in my elbow. I had an MRI two days later and found out that my (ulnar collateral ligament) was torn.”

Young underwent Tommy John surgery and for the next year he was stretched, pulled, poked and encouraged.

“I tried to rush it back to get a chance to sign with someone that summer of 2021, but it was too late in the year and everybody said we’ll get together with you in the winter. I made a few phone calls and talked to the farm director of the Red Sox. He contacted a scout they have who handles the independent league stuff for them. I guess he called Tom.”

In May of this year, Young was finally given a chance to show that he is fully healthy and as good as before the surgery. Young’s signing with Washington was announced six days before the start of the Frontier League season.

“It was just a shot to earn a spot on the team,” Young said. “Fortunately, the first few outings went well and Tom called me into his office and said I’m going to give you a shot at (closing). Fortunately, it’s been a pretty good season.”

Young has thrived as the closer. He finished tied for second in the league in saves, didn’t allow an earned run until his 13th outing and pitched in a career-high 38 games.

“I turned 26 this year. I tell people that in the world I’m not old, but in the baseball world I’m getting old,” Young said. “But this season is the most fun I’ve had playing baseball.”

Getting back to the finals would add to the fun, but standing between the Wild Things and the championship series is Schaumburg. The Boomers have many of the same players who beat the Wild Things in the finals last year, winning the last two games at Wild Things Park after being pushed to the brink of elimination.

Washington won five of the nine games against Schaumburg this year but they were intense contests. There was a benches-clearing incident in a game at Wild Things Park in June and Schaumburg won the last meeting, on Aug. 25, with a walk-off grand slam. Young did not pitch in that game.

“If there is something on the line, and somebody needs to take care of it, then hand it to me,” Young said firmly. “I’ll do my best. I don’t mind being in that role. If it’s a one-run game and we need to shut the door right here, by all means hand the ball to me.”

Since 1986, Chris Dugan has been covering local sports for the Observer-Reporter, and named sports editor in 2006. Before joining the O-R, he was sports editor at the Democrat-Messenger, and a former member of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

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