In the third round of the MLB draft seventeen years ago, the Yankees picked Zach McAllister, joining a selection class that also includes Dellin Betances, David Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, and Mark Melancon.

After a long and winding route, McAllister finally made his Yankees debut on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old reliever threw a scoreless inning against the Red Sox in the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader at Fenway Park. He had previously played for the Yankees, reaching Triple-A before being moved out of the club in 2010 for Austin Kearns.

“It’s kind of come full circle for me again,” McAllister remarked before the Yankees’ Wednesday night game against the Red Sox was postponed and rescheduled for Thursday as a split doubleheader at Fenway Park. When I was here before, I made it all the way up to the minor levels, but this time, getting to wear the pinstripes and play against Boston is an experience I’ll never forget.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Yankees’ 17-year wait between drafting McAllister and his major league debut is the longest in the team’s history.

In between, he had three appearances with the Tigers in 2018, and 277 for Cleveland (including the 2016 World Series).

McAllister hadn’t played in the MLB since August 16, 2018 before Tuesday.

Since then, he has battled injuries and six different minor league teams to return to major league pitching.

McAllister suffered a torn lat in 2019.

He broke his right humerus a year later.

Both injuries necessitated arduous recoveries.

“It was a process, and it took a lot longer than expected,” McAllister admitted on Wednesday. “But Tuesday was definitely worth it.”

In the seats on Tuesday to see McAllister make his first Major League Baseball appearance in 1,854 days was McAllister’s wife, and in the opposing dugout was McAllister’s brother-in-law, Red Sox first-base coach Kyle Hudson.

They were among the numerous people who believed in McAllister and encouraged him to keep figҺting for his dream of returning to the major leagues.

McAllister explained that his “family, friends, and wife” were all essential in keeping him motivated. I was able to adjust my arm slot, which helped me out tremendously. This time last year, you were either thinking, “Hey, I can still get outs and compete or I’m happy with my career,” or “I’m done.” I was able to continue playing and competing at a high level.

The best I could do was “ride it out.”

McAllister and Matt Bowman, who made his first major league appearance since 2019, were well received by the Yankees locker room after their respective returns on Tuesday.

Manager Aaron Boone once stated, “Not everyone has the will and fortitude to stick it out.” “I give them credit for not giving up on the trip.”

Boone revealed on Wednesday that reliever Jonathan Loaisiga has “some stuff going on” in his right elbow, explaining why Loaisiga was placed on the injured list Tuesday.

Boone did not provide details, but he did sаy that if Loaisiga had sustained the ιnjury earlier in the season, he would have been prevented from throwing for “a few weeks.”