Rookie ace Brandon Pfaadt reflects on abuse from Phillies fans: "I kind of like that and use it as fuel"

The 2023 MLB postseason has been a baptism of fire for 25-year-old Brandon Pfaadt. Despite never having made a playoff start before this year, the young ace has been entrusted with some of the most important starts in modern D-Backs history.

A native of Kentucky, Pfaadt was selected by the D-Backs in the 5th round of the 2020 draft. At this time last year, the right-hander had just concluded his first season of Triple-A.

"This is awesome - D-Backs pitcher, Brandon Pfaadt, appears here reading the Bible moments before taking the mound in a winner-take-all Game 7" - Baseball Lifestyle

Brandon Pfaadt got the ball for the D-Backs in Game 7 against the Philadelphia Phillies. Just the fourth postseason start of his career, the rookie held his own. Lasting four innings, Pfaadt limited the Phillies' offense to just two runs, and struck out seven.

In a recent interview with Foul Territory, a podcast run by former catcher AJ Pierzynski, Pfaadt shed light on his psychology during the performance. According to Pfaadt, the rabid fans in Philly, who took delight in heckling him and his teammates in the D-Backs bullpen, were to thank.

"You kind of feel abused especially in philly I felt abused in the bullpen. I kind of like that and use it as a fuel. Going into Philly was 10 times worse than Milwaukee"

According to Pfaadt, the heckling from Philadelphia Phillies fans motivated him. Known for having some of the most passionate fans in the game, fans at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia have a well-earned reputation with being employing ruthless heckling.

Pfaadt's first game of the postseason came against the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card Series. While the 6-foot-4 pitcher was chased after two innings, Pfaadt claimed that the level of heckling directed at him and his teammates in Milwaukee was a mere fraction of the onslaught recieved in Philadelphia.

Brandon Pfaadt and the D-Backs may be up for their biggest challenge yet

Pfaadt and the entire D-Backs roster deserves full credit for pulling off one of the biggest upsets in recent MLB history. However, the World Series against the Texas Rangers is bound to be a different animal. With the heckling at Globe Life Field unlikely to be worse than that in Philadelphia, Pfaadt will need to find new sources of inspiration to ensure that he brings his A-game to the mound.