The 2024 Major League Baseball (MLB) season officially began on Thursday when ten former UCLA baseball players were added to their respective clubs’ Opening Day rosters. Right-handed pitcher Jake Bird (Colorado Rockies), right-handed pitcher Griffin Canning (Los Angeles Angels), infielder Brandon Crawford (St. Louis Cardinals), and infielder/outfielder Michael Toglia (Colorado Rockies) were the four former Bruin standouts who were named to their teams’ active rosters.
Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Torey Lovullo of the Arizona Diamondbacks, two veteran MLB managers and UCLA graduates, are back in their positions for the next season. As of right now, UCLA is the only university in the nation with several alumni running MLB teams.
Bird To Begin His Third MLB Season, Amongst Others
Four other former Bruin players, right-hand pitcher Gerrit Cole (New York Yankees), infielder Matt McLain (Cincinnati Reds), outfielder Garrett Mitchell (Milwaukee Brewers), and right-hand pitcher Zack Weiss (Minnesota Twins), will all begin the season on the Major League Injured List. Bird and Toglia will be participating in Opening Day events for the first time today. In addition, Crawford is celebrating his first Opening Day in St. Louis following a legendary 13-year tenure with the San Francisco Giants.
In 2024, Bird will begin his third MLB season. Over the past two seasons, he has made 108 appearances out of the Colorado bullpen and has a 4.53 ERA. In 2024, he had a great second season, pitching 70 games and giving up 89 1/3 innings.
