Cubs’ Erich Uelmen received the most heartwarming gift from his grandma in Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE — Erich Uelmen grew up routinely going to Brewers games in Milwaukee with his family.
On Friday, he got to play on the very same field for the first time.
And not only that, but his grandma, Diane, called it.
Back in November of 1996, Diane went to the groundbreaking of Miller Park in Milwaukee and got a ceremonial baseball as a keepsake. Even though Erich was only 6 months old at the the time, Diane saved it with the intention of giving it to him one day when he pitched at the field as a Major League Baseball player.
After his outing on Friday, Diane gifted Erich the baseball.
11/9/1996: Eric Uelmen’s grandma went to the groundbreaking of Miller Park & got this baseball. Eric was 6 months old. She wanted to give it to him when he pitched here one day.
— Taylor McGregor (@Taylor_McGregor) August 28, 2022
8/26/2022: Eric pitches at that ballpark & his grandma gave him the ball after the game. pic.twitter.com/YS8QqaPw68
How’s that for faith and support?
“I was surprised,” Uelmen said in an interview with Taylor McGregor Sunday. “It was a new story for me. It was cool to see her excitement and genuine joy to be here and experience the moment.
“Her and all the family have just been so excited to experience this with me.”
Uelmen threw 1.2 perfect innings of relief Friday with a pair of strikeouts to help the Cubs pull off a 4-3 victory over the Brewers.
And he was able to do it all in front of family, including his grandma.
“It’s cool,” Uelmen said. “Being on the mound the other night was comfortable. This is the stadium I went to on family vacations in the summer. We didn’t have a team in Las Vegas, so this was our team so coming back here all these years later to play here is very, very cool.”
Uelmen, 26, made his MLB debut last month and has been a solid arm for the Cubs out of the bullpen this season. He is 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 3 holds in 13 appearances (16 innings).
In his conversation with McGregor, he discussed how he tried a new slider grip in the final appearance with Triple-A Iowa last season and credits that as part of his transformation this season.
Uelmen had a 10.02 ERA in 12 games with Iowa last year but posted a sparkling 2.79 ERA in 42 Triple-A innings this season.
The Cubs selected Uelmen in the 4th round of the 2017 draft and he is part of the wave of young pitching that has moved through the system and is arriving in Chicago.
Catch Uelmen’s full interview in the video above.