It's been a long road to the big leagues for Cubs reliever Danny Hultzen.
Hultzen, 29, was drafted second overall by the Mariners in the 2011 MLB Draft. However, the left-hander struggled to stay healthy, undergoing shoulder surgeries in 2013 and 2016. He never reached the MLB with the Mariners, eventually signing with the Cubs in Feb. 2018.
After the Cubs promoted him from Triple-A Iowa on Saturday, Hultzen made his long-awaited MLB debut in the 7th inning Sunday against the Brewers. The left-hander allowed two base runners (a questionable hit by pitch and a single), though he recorded every out on strikeouts.
It may have taken longer than he hoped, but Hultzen has officially made it. Talk about a great story.
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream Cubs games easily on your device.