The Houston Astros have had plenty to celebrate this week. Not only did they win the first two games of their series against the Toronto Blue Jays, but they also got some exciting news regarding one of their pitchers. On Monday, Astros reliever Tayler Scott officially became a United States citizen, completing a seven-year process. His teammates celebrated the achievement on Tuesday by decorating his locker with red, white and blue streamers and multiple American flags. Meanwhile, Scott got himself a new American-themed outfit at Target on Tuesday morning to wear to that night’s game. It’s been quite the personal and professional journey for Scott, who was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. When he was 16, he moved to the USA to pursue his dream of becoming a Major League ballplayer. It took him a while, but he eventually made that dream a reality. After attending high school and playing baseball in Scottsdale, Ariz., he was drafted out of high school by the Chicago Cubs in the fifth round of the 2011 MLB draft, foregoing his commitment to the University of Arizona. After five years in the Cubs organization, a brief stint in independent ball and several more seasons in the minors, he finally made his Major League debut for the Seattle Mariners in 2019, becoming the first South African pitcher in MLB history. The journeyman reliever continued to move around and even spent two years in Japan, where he became the first South African pitcher in NPB history in 2020. He returned to the States in 2022 and resumed his MLB career with the San Diego Padres. Scott joined the Astros as a free agent after the 2023 season and immediately had the best year of his career. He was surprisingly one of the most reliable arms in their bullpen last season, going 7-3 with a 2.23 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 68.2 innings while helping them win their fourth straight AL West title. The 32-year-old righty has struggled a bit this season, going 1-2 with a 5.63 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP over his first nine appearances and regressing towards his career numbers (4.99 ERA, 1.58 WHIP). Regardless of how this season turns out for Scott, his persistence on and off the field has been remarkable. Whether it’s becoming a US citizen or a Major League player, Scott has shown tremendous dedication and commitment to achieving his goals, proving that anything’s possible if you work hard and set your mind to it.