Norfolk Tides pitcher Chandler Shepherd
NORFOLK, Va. (Tides Communications) – The International League announced today that Norfolk pitcher Chandler Shepherd has been named the League’s Player of the Month for August. Along with winners from other leagues, Shepherd will be presented with an award from Minor League Baseball and Uncle Ray’s Potato Chips in recognition of his outstanding performance last month.
Shepherd turned in five very impressive starts for the Norfolk Tides in the final full month of the 2019 regular season while also getting his first action in the majors. When with the Tides in August, Shepherd led all qualifying IL starting pitchers with a 1.62 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and .181 opponents batting average.
After being named the IL Pitcher of the Week on August 4, Shepherd suffered his only loss of the month on the 8th, a 3-2 decision to Indianapolis in which two of the three runs scored against him were unearned. His next appearance came at Yankee Stadium as he made his MLB debut for the Orioles, tossing 4.0 innings and allowing just one run. His last two starts of the season at the Triple-A level were consecutive victories over Charlotte, a club fighting hard at the time for a possible playoff berth.
Norfolk Tides pitcher Chandler Shepherd
Shepherd had entered the month with a combined record of 0-9 between Pawtucket (where he began the year) and Norfolk. Shepherd was promoted to Baltimore again following the conclusion of the Tides’ regular season schedule. He is the first player from the Tides to be honored as IL Player of the Month since Travis Ishikawa in May of 2013.
Shepherd, who turned 27 during August, is in his sixth season pitching professionally. He was selected by Boston in the 13th round of the 2014 draft, reaching Triple-A in 2016 and spending most of the next four seasons with Pawtucket until being designated for assignment in May. He was claimed by the Orioles on waivers. Shepherd is a native of Louisa, Kentucky.
