Watson, King Set to Meet Again on Saturday Night

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EL New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Watson, King Set to Meet Again on Saturday Night

June 14, 2025 - Eastern League (EL)
New Hampshire Fisher Cats News Release


The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (28-33) will try to bounce back against the Reading Fightin Phils (22-37) at FirstEnergy Stadium with a 6:45 PM EDT first pitch on Saturday night. Saturday's game will feature a pitching rematch between New Hampshire's Ryan Watson and Reading's Chuck King, who squared off on May 17 in Reading.

LAST NIGHT

Reading scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning on Fisher Cats starter Grant Rogers (L, 1-2). The two-out rally was capitalized by Reading catcher Paul McIntosh's two-RBI double and first baseman Seth Beer's two-run shot.

The R-Phils tacked on two more homers in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend their lead to 9-1. Center fielder Cade Fergus finalized the scoring with a two-run blast in the bottom of the seventh frame for Reading's fourth homer of the night.

New Hampshire's lone run came across in the top of the fifth inning when catcher Robert Brooks belted a solo homer off Reading starter Wil Crowe (W, 2-1). Brooks launched his second homer for the Cats this season and first since April 11 in Portland.

Crowe earned the win by tossing five, three-hit innings with one earned run and seven punchouts. Rogers suffered the loss, allowing a career-high seven earned runs on seven hits to inflate Rogers' earned run average to above four for the first time since July of 2024.

After the first eight games of New Hampshire and Reading's season series were decided by one run, the R-Phils have won two straight by scores of 9-7 and 11-1.

PITCHING MATCHUP

New Hampshire's team-leader in wins Ryan Watson (4-2, 3.90 ERA) gets the start on Saturday night. Watson dealt 4-2/3 innings and allowed four earned runs on six hits in his last time out on June 8 against Altoona. The right-hander's 56 innings pitched are the seventh most amongst Eastern League starters as Watson will make his 11th start and 12th appearance of 2025. Watson was signed out of the Frontier League on May 31, 2024, after tossing 16-1/3 innings with one walk and 17 strikeouts for the Florence Y'alls. Watson has held batters to a .243 average in 60 total innings with 50 punchouts to 12 walks. Saturday night will be the second time Watson squares off with Reading starter Chuck King. Watson allowed six earned runs on 10 hits against the R-Phils in game one of a doubleheader on May 17.

King (1-3, 5.19 ERA) will make his 10th start of the season and second against the Fisher Cats. King went 4-1/3 with six earned on eight hits and gave up three homers to Cats hitters on May 17. New Hampshire's RJ Schreck, Yohendrick Piñango and Ryan McCarty took King deep with solo shots in the Cats' 8-7 win. Peyton Williams reached in three of four appearances against King, including a single that drove in two runs to end King's outing. King has thrown 10 innings and suffered three earned on 10 hits in June to lower his earned run average to 5.19. The righty battled through May with a 7.11 earned run average, allowing five or more runs in three of his five starts. King made 31 relief appearances for Jersey Shore in 2024 before making one appearance with the R-Phils at the end of the season. The 27-year-old finished his college career at TCU in 2021 before joining the San Diego Padres organization in the sports science department. King studied pitching mechanics and developed an acute understanding of shortening his arm action while working with Driveline Baseball. He touched 96.8 miles per hour during a bullpen in 2023 and decided to give pro ball a shot at Driveline Pro Day. King touched 97 miles per hour and showcased a splitter, slider and sweeper to complement his improved fastball. On February 6, 2024, King signed a free agent deal with Philadelphia. He made his first pro ball appearance two months later, 1,035 days after his final appearance with the Horned Frogs.

THIS DAY IN FISHER CATS HISTORY

June 14, 2019- Forrest Wall led off the game with a home run, and the Fisher Cats never trailed in a 7-6 win over the Flying Squirrels in Richmond. There was a lot of action early as Richmond rallied from down 5-0 and 6-3 to pull within a run. The Cats picked up a key insurance run in the top of the ninth on a double by Josh Palacios. Bryan Baker entered into a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth, but was able to secure the save.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Fisher Cats and R-Phils finalize their final meeting in the first half with a 5:15 PM EDT first pitch at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday. New Hampshire returns home on Tuesday, June 17 to finish the first half with a six-game series against the Somerset Patriots at Delta Dental Stadium.

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Eastern League Stories from June 14, 2025


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