Chris Ellis on his Unexpected Call to Reno: "I Wondered If He Butt-dialed Me or Something"
RENO, Nev. -- Chris Ellis was preparing to grub some pasta in his Talking Stick hotel room in Scottsdale when his phone buzzed. The effervescent 31-year-old from Alabama knew the Diamondbacks were interested in his services, but it hadn’t yet clicked why his former battery mate Blake Lalli called. He
RENO, Nev. -- Chris Ellis was preparing to grub some pasta in his Talking Stick hotel room in Scottsdale when his phone buzzed. The effervescent 31-year-old from Alabama knew the Diamondbacks were interested in his services, but it hadn’t yet clicked why his former battery mate Blake Lalli called. He hadn’t pitched in a professional game in over two years following surgery on his right pitching shoulder.
“I wondered if he butt-dialed me or something,” Ellis said, “He (Lalli) asked, ‘are you ready to come play for me?’”
Anxious to get back on a high-level mound, his response was an emphatic yes, followed by the most natural follow-up: “When am I leaving?”
Lalli told him he was flying out that night for a 4:05 p.m. start in Reno the following afternoon.
“I was so happy to see him,” Ellis said.
The two played together for the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers in 2016. Ellis was a 23-year-old pitching prospect, while Lalli was a 33-year-old catcher, seasoned with 1,000 games in the minors and 32 more in the big leagues. Nearly a decade later, Lalli looked on as Ellis took the ball every fifth day for a club with championship aspirations.
Ellis started in a memorable and historic 8-7 walk-off Fourth of July victory, Reno's ninth win in a row, a franchise record.
"I still wear my Fourth of July Reno hat," he said proudly. I wear it golfing all the time."
The Diamondbacks released Ellis in late July after bouts of inconsistency. The ups and downs weren't a surprise, as it had been 734 days between professional appearances. He also posted some fantastic outings, highlighted by a PCL Pitcher of the Week honor after a seven-inning, seven-strikeout gem against the Round Rock Express in May.
Ellis pitched to a 9.09 ERA with Reno, the highest career mark. He said he views his results on the mound as "one of my worst years ever." He also said it was one of his most enjoyable years in baseball, thanks to a team that "just got along so well."
A driving factor in the 2024 Aces reaching the PCL Championship was steady leadership and experience. Ellis brought his 741 professional innings, magnetic friendliness, and humility to a group led by veterans Kyle Garlick, Bryson Brigman, and Albert Almora, who've played a combined 758 games in the big leagues and shared similar personality traits.
"I really just enjoyed my time there," he said, "I was thankful they gave me the amount of starts that they did, I was grateful for the Diamondbacks that they let me run with it."
For someone who has spent almost a decade in the minor leagues and has missed extended time due to injury, Ellis, now 32, is anything but cynical. He said the 2024 season taught him the power of not giving up.
"I don't think of myself as the old guy," he said, "I still play Call of Duty sometimes."
Ellis aims to bring his good vibes and tweaked new curveball back to the mound this season.
"I still have so much to give the game."
The Reno Aces will open the 2025 season on the road in Las Vegas on Friday, March 28. They will make their home debut at Greater Nevada Field on Tuesday, April 1, hosting the Tacoma Rainiers, the Seattle Mariners' Triple-A affiliate, at 2:05 p.m. PDT.
Season memberships for the 2025 season are available via RenoAces.com by texting "MEMBER" to 21003 or calling (775) 334-7000.