This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Pitcher Greg Mahle has achieved his goal of making it to the big leagues.
Now the idea is to return and stay there.
Mahle started the season with the Salt Lake Bees but, one week later, he was called up by the Los Angles Angels.
Mahle spent the next two months with L.A., making 24 appearances out of the Angels' bullpen, and registering 14 strikeouts in 181⁄3 innings, but also posting a 5.40 ERA and 1.80 WHIP. He was sent back to Triple-A on Monday.
"Obviously, I'd like to be up there," Mahle said. "But I have a few holes I need to fill. Going up, I learned a lot. And it's not the worst thing in the world to be here and work on the things I need to work on. Hopefully I'll become a better Major League pitcher because of it."
Mahle is a 23-year-old left-hander whose meteoric rise through the Angels' organization was unimaginable when the club took him in the 15th round of the 2014 draft. He was the 449th overall pick.
A product of UC Santa Barbara, Mahle jumped from Orem in the Rookie League to Class AA Arkansas in less than two seasons. With the Travelers last year, he went 3-3 with a 3.08 earned run average. He struck out 36 batters in 351⁄3 innings.
Still, Mahle was a long shot to stick with the Angels in spring training, although he nearly did.
With manager Mike Scioscia using him in the toughest spots — in close games against opponents' best hitters — Mahle put himself on management's radar.
In 12 preseason games, he posted a 1.46 ERA before being sent to Salt Lake for more experience.
It was only a matter of days before Mahle was back in Anaheim, walking into a Major League locker room for the first time during the regular season.
"It was unbelievable," he said. "I can't really put it into words. It was everything you dreamed of coming true. As a kid, all you do is mimic being up there and, when you finally are, you just try to take it all in and enjoy it."
Mahle also remembers playing in Yankee Stadium for the first time — "Those fans get crazy," he said — as well as the night 50 family members attended a game in Anaheim.
"Of course, I didn't pay for all the tickets," Mahle said. "They are pretty pricey. But they were all by the bullpen and I got to pitch [in] that game. It was great. My dad was so proud."
The family got another thrill last week when Tyler Mahle, Greg's younger brother by two years, pitched a no-hitter for Class A Daytona in the Florida State League.
Tyler Mahle, the No. 11 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization, allowed only one base-runner during a 4-0 victory over Jupiter.
"Growing up, we fought a lot," Greg Mahle said. "We were definitely rivals. We were not close at all. We were enemies. But now we're best friends — ever since we separated and I went to college. Now we work out together in the offseason. We lift together. We throw together. We do all that stuff together."
After the no-hitter, Greg Mahle called his brother.
"I just told him I was extremely proud of him," he said. "Tyler deserves every bit of the success he's getting. To share some success with him — we're both doing good things — it's just awesome."
Asked if his brother is a future big league pitcher, Mahle said, "Yes. He's extremely mature for his age. He attacks hitters. He's got the stuff for it. It's just a matter of time. He's going to be big-time, for sure."
What would his parents do if the Mahle brothers ever pitched against each other?
"They'd be a mess," he said.
Twitter: @sluhm —
About Greg Mahle
• The lefty is back with the Bees after spending two months with the Angels.
• Mahle opened the season in Salt Lake, where he pitched once before being called up by the Angels.
• Mahle is 23 and a former 15th-round draft pick out of UC Santa Barbara. He started his pro career in Orem in 2014.