Bradley Richard Hand (born March 20, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Florida Marlins in 2011.
Video Brad Hand
Early life
Hand is a 2008 graduate of Chaska High School in Chaska, Minnesota. He was named the Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year in baseball for 2008.
Maps Brad Hand
Professional career
Florida / Miami Marlins
Hand was selected by the Marlins in the second round of the 2008 MLB draft.
As a 21-year old, Hand spent the 2011 season shuttling between the Double-A Jacksonville Suns and the Major Leagues. Hand was called up to the majors for the first time on June 6, 2011. He made his debut the next day against the Atlanta Braves. In his debut, Hand became the second starter since 1946 to throw at least 6 innings and allow one hit or less to lose the game. Hand got his first big league win on July 8, 2011 against the Houston Astros, throwing seven, two-hit shutout innings. In a total of four stints at the Major League level, Hand accumulated a 1-8 record and 4.20 ERA in 12 starts while posting a 11-4 record and 3.40 ERA in 18 starts at Jacksonville.
Hand spent most of 2012 with the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs. On August 3, Hand was called up for a doubleheader game against the Washington Nationals so as not to disrupt the starting rotation. He pitched 32/3 innings, giving up seven runs on six hits and six walks, and took the loss. The next day, he was sent back down to New Orleans. He finished the season with the Zephyrs going 11-7 with a 4.00 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in 1481/3 innings pitched, with 75 walks and 141 strikeouts in 27 games started.
Hand also began 2013 as a starter for the Triple-A club. He was recalled to the Marlins on April 30 after the team used 7 pitchers in an extra-inning game the previous night, but was optioned back after a single relief appearance. After a May injury and a rehab assignment with the Rookie League club, Hand rejoined the Zephyrs on July 30. Hand made a total of 15 starts with the Zephyrs, going 3-5 with a 3.42 ERA. He was recalled to the Marlins in September, where he made six appearances, including two starts. For the season, he compiled a 3.05 ERA over 202/3 big league innings.
Hand made the 25-man roster for the Marlins in 2014 as a long reliever and spot starter. Used mostly as a reliever in the first half, Hand went to the disabled list with an ankle sprain in late May. After a rehab assignment, he returned to the Marlins in July and was placed in the rotation as the Marlins had already looked at a number of starting pitcher options. Hand had varied results with an ERA of 3.80 as a starter after his return. For the full 2014 season, Hand pitched to a 4.38 ERA in 111 innings.
In 2015, Hand prepared for a starting role in spring training. He was used mostly as a long reliever early in the season, but was inserted into the rotation in August. Hand had a 4-6 record and 5.68 ERA in 12 starts, and a 4.71 ERA in 361/3 innings over 26 appearances in relief.
Hand was one of the final cuts in spring training in 2016, and was designated for assignment on April 3.
San Diego Padres
Hand was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres on April 8, 2016.
Hand quickly became a fixture in the back half of the Padres bullpen in 2016, regularly pitching the 7th inning for the club, although 22 of his appearances spanned more than one inning. Hand pitched 891/3 innings and led the league with 82 appearances. He averaged 11.2 strike-outs per 9 innings on the year, a marked improvement over the 5.9 strike-outs per 9 he averaged over his 90 games with the Marlins, and posted a 2.92 ERA. He became the sixth Padres reliever to strike out more than 100 batters in a season.
In 2017, Hand was selected as the Padres representative for the All-Star Game. Hand earned the honor by putting up a 2.30 ERA and 60 strike-outs over 47 innings in the first half, and he pitched a perfect seventh in the game itself. Hand was also named The Hartford National League Reliever of the Month for July. Hand was regularly pitching the 7th or 8th inning for the Padres, but moved into the closer role once Brandon Maurer was traded in late July and saved 21 games on the season. He finished with a 2.16 ERA and 104 strike-outs in 791/3 innings and 72 appearances.
On January 14, 2018, the Padres signed Hand to a three-year extension, buying out his first year of free agency, with a club option for 2021.
Personal life
Hand married longtime girlfriend Morgan Baker on February 28, 2015. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Lila Bradley, on December 8, 2015. Their second child, a son named Cuyler James, was born on November 18, 2017.
References
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
- Brad Hand on Twitter
Source of article : Wikipedia
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