Before making his major league debut at Daikin Park against the Kansas City Royals, this Houston Astros rookie found himself on an unfamiliar path. It was back in 2021 when he was drafted as the Astros’ pitcher. But just one month later, after he signed with the team, he had to undergo Tommy John surgery. Apparently, he got his elbow injured during his redshirt sophomore season at the University of Central Florida.
If you picked it up with hints, this 2021 rookie is the Astros’ major league star, Colton Gordon, with a luxury six-figure salary. On the contrary, everything about his life was different. It was when he was sent to the Astros’ training and rehab facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, after his surgery.
Well, while he was recovering, his days were all about long rehab sessions, lonely afternoons and drained-of-excitement kinds of evenings. Then one fine day, he decided to get a side hustle for him. Gordon walked into Clematis Pizza, located in downtown West Palm Beach. He told them, “I’d love to deliver pizzas.” And he sure did.
A month after he got drafted, Colton Gordon was bored. In Florida rehabbing Tommy John surgery, he refused to “sit in a hotel room all day and just waste away time.”
So, one afternoon, he walked into Clematis Pizza and asked for a job – https://t.co/1wsr5NCcQ4
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) May 19, 2025
Gordon thought to himself, “I’m not about to sit in a hotel room all day and waste away time.” Well, he didn’t like the idea of inactivity. And moreover, he was low on cash and full of free time. He was entitled to spend 4 months in the Astros’ South Florida complex.
In fact, he made sure the pizza place knew his conditions. Gordon told them, “I’ll let you know up front, I only got 4 months.” Little did he know he’s going to enjoy his time there. This pizza delivery job allowed him to get around the city and explore it. He made sure the side hustle he takes doesn’t take away baseball from him by any means.
Now, after all these years, although he doesn’t remember what Clematis Pizza used to pay him, he does remember that he got some hefty tips in one of the wealthiest cities. He recalled this time when he received $100 for delivering 10 pepperoni pizzas to a security guard.
Fast forward to now, he’s coming off from playing against the Kansas City Royals for his big league debut. And later his second start was against the Tampa Bay Rays at Steinbrenner field where he handed them a 3-4 loss.
Colton Gordon’s first two starts with Astros
From his time as a rookie with a side hustle to now finally playing in the big leagues with the Astros, Colton Gordon has had one remarkable journey.
Oh, and you might not know this, but back in 2023, in the World Baseball Classic, Gordon played for team Israel. And now, since last year, he’s the first Jewish pitcher to debut in the majors.
Coming to his first outing with the Astros against the Royals, he gave up 3 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks across 4⅓ innings. Not to forget, he struck out three batters, too. He tried to keep the Astros in the lead. During the 2nd inning, he gave up a solo home run and an RBI double. At the end, the Astros were able to secure the 4-3 win against the Royals.
His second start was even more special as he returned to Florida at Steinbrenner Field against the Tampa Bay Rays. It took him time to find his footing initially, as he ended up giving a leadoff single to Yandy Diaz. Further, Gordon retired 12 batters in a row. The game became even more intense during the 5th inning.
It was when Fanny Jansen hit a two-run homer. Both the Rays and the Astros were tied in the sixth inning. Meanwhile, Gordon still managed to stay firm in giving the team a much-needed lead. Across 5 innings, he delivered 5 hits, 3 runs and a stunning 7 strikeouts.
From pizza deliveries as a young prospect to delivering big in major leagues, it’s just the beginning for Gordon to keep the Astros winning.
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