Brandon Kintzler
Brandon Kintzler | |
---|---|
Pitcher | |
Born: Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | August 1, 1984|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 10, 2010, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |
Last MLB appearance | |
July 29, 2021, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 24–24 |
Earned run average | 3.50 |
Strikeouts | 335 |
Saves | 61 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
Brandon Lee Kintzler[1] (born August 1, 1984) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs, Miami Marlins, and Philadelphia Phillies.
Kintzler was born in
The Brewers offered Kintzler a contract in 2009 after watching him pitch at the American Association All-Star Game for the Saints, and he made his MLB debut in September 2010. Kintzler's five-season tenure with the Brewers was hindered by injury, first a stress fracture in his elbow in 2011, followed by a patellar tendon rupture in 2014, and he became a free agent at the conclusion of the 2015 season. Kintzler accepted a minor league contract with the Twins that December, and became the team's closer in 2016 after the departure of Kevin Jepsen. Kintzler continued to close for the team in 2017 after Glen Perkins experienced a shoulder injury, and he received an All-Star selection in 2017.
Kintzler joined the Nationals in 2017, where he served as the seventh-inning reliever before suffering a forearm flexor strain in June 2018. The Nationals traded him to the Cubs, and, after a disappointing 2018, he tweaked his pitching delivery and improved in 2019. Kintzler signed a one-year contract with the Marlins in 2020, and helped lead the team to the postseason by throwing shutout final innings in both Wild Card Games against the Cubs. In 2021, Kintzler signed a contract with the Phillies.
Kintzler is considered by baseball journalists to be the most successful 40th-round draft pick in MLB history. His signature pitch is a
Early life
Kintzler was born in
Undrafted out of high school, Kintzler chose to attend
Minor and independent league career
Minor league system (2004–2005)
Kintzler was selected twice in a row in the 40th round of the
Independent leagues (2007–2009)
In 2007, Kintzler signed with the
In the offseason, Kintzler requested a trade to the
Major league career
Milwaukee Brewers (2010–2015)
Kintzler signed a minor league contract with the
After starting the 2011 season with the Brewers, Kintzler was placed on the
2013 was a breakout season for Kintzler, who served as the primary
Kintzler began to suffer knee pain in 2014, but avoided mentioning it until the conclusion of the Brewers season, when he discovered that he had suffered a partial patellar tendon rupture.[32] He underwent surgery for the injury in October 2014, and began the 2015 season with the Class-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox.[33] He missed two months of the season due to the injury and spent most of his time pitching in the minors, where he went 1–1 with a 4.43 ERA in 20 games.[12][22] Appearing in only seven games for the Brewers and posting a 6.43 ERA, Kintzler became a free agent at the conclusion of the 2015 season.[14][24]
Minnesota Twins (2016–2017)
Kintzler joined the
The Twins signed Kintzler to a one-year deal on January 13, 2017.
Washington Nationals (2017–2018)
On July 31, 2017, the Twins traded Kintzler to the Washington Nationals in exchange for minor league pitcher Tyler J. Watson.[43] Kintzler served as the club's seventh-inning reliever, setting up for Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle in the eighth and ninth, respectively.[44] In the remainder of the regular season, Kintzler recorded only one save but posted a 3.46 ERA in 26 innings with the Nationals.[45] Kintzler made three appearances in the 2017 National League Division Series (NLDS). He gave up one run in each of his last two outings, and was credited with the Game 3 loss to the Chicago Cubs.[46] The Cubs ultimately won the series 3–2, eliminating the Nationals from the playoffs.[47]
Kintzler signed a two-year contract with the Nationals on December 21, 2017.[48] He left the mound in the eighth inning of a June 9 game against the San Francisco Giants with forearm tightness,[49] and missed most of the month with a forearm flexor strain.[50] That season, Kintzler posted a 3.59 ERA in 42+2⁄3 innings with the Nationals.[51] On July 31, 2018, the Nationals traded Kintzler to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Jhon Romero, partly because the Nationals wanted to make Wander Suero their closer.[52] Shortly after his departure, rumors emerged that Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo traded Kintzler after the pitcher circulated unflattering stories about Dave Martinez and the Nationals' clubhouse. Rizzo denied the claims, and said that the trade was financially motivated.[53]
Chicago Cubs (2018–2019)
After acquiring Kintzler from the Nationals, Cubs manager Joe Maddon praised the pitcher, calling him a "very durable kind of guy [...] Good sink. Puts the ball on the ground."[54] Kintzler struggled with the Cubs in 2018, allowing 14 runs and posting a 7.00 ERA in 18 innings.[55] He admitted that his struggles were largely mental, telling NBC Sports Chicago that, "I feel like when I came over, I tried to be perfect. And usually I'm more of a guy that is in full-on attack mode."[56] Between the Nationals and the Cubs, Kintzler finished 2018 with a 3–3 record, 4.60 ERA, and 43 strikeouts in 70 games and 60+2⁄3 innings.[24]
Kintzler returned to the Cubs in 2019 with an improved approach to the mound, recording a 2.29 ERA in his first 19 appearances of the season. He credited pitching coach
Miami Marlins (2020)
On February 3, 2020, Kintzler signed a one-year, $3.25 million contract with the Miami Marlins.[61] After the Marlins beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5–2 on the July 24 Opening Day game, NBC Sports Philadelphia analyst Ricky Bottalico referred to the team as "bottom feeders", a label that Kintzler embraced throughout the season, saying, "I don't care if we're bottom feeders. I want to thank Ricky Bottalico for that motivation in opening weekend in Philadelphia by the way."[62] Kintzler played a critical role in the Marlin's postseason run, throwing scoreless final innings in both Wild Card Games against the Cubs.[63] In the 2020 season, which was shortened to 60 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[64] Kintzler led the Marlins in saves with 12, and pitched to a 2.22 ERA in 24+1⁄3 innings with the Marlins.[65]
Philadelphia Phillies (2021)
On February 10, 2021, Kintzler signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, a deal that included an invitation to spring training.[66] On March 26, Kintzler and outfielder Matt Joyce were added to the Phillies' Opening Day roster.[67] Kintzler debuted with the Phillies on April 5, 2021, taking over for starting pitcher Matt Moore in the fourth inning of an eventual 5–3 rout over the New York Mets.[68] After posting an 8.50 ERA in his first 20 appearances, Kintzler was placed on the disabled list in June with a strained neck. He attributed the injury to the COVID-19 vaccine, which he had received during the first week of the season, and revealed that his neck had been in pain for the first six weeks of the season, and had in turn caused back pain.[69] When projected starter Aaron Nola was scratched two hours before a game against the Boston Red Sox on July 11, 2021, Kintzler was called upon to start a bullpen game for the Phillies.[70] The Phillies designated Kintzler for assignment on July 30, the MLB trade deadline.[71] He was subsequently released from his contract into free agency on August 2.[72]
San Diego Padres organization (2022)
On August 19, 2022, Kintzler signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres. He elected free agency on November 10, 2022.
Pitcher profile
Kintzler is considered by several
Personal life
Kintzler met his wife, Melissa, while playing with the Goldeyes, and the two married at a drive-through chapel in Las Vegas.[76] Their first child, Knox, was born in late 2015.[14] His daughter was born in December 2017, shortly before Kintzler signed his contract with the Nationals.[77][78]
While playing with the Twins, Kintzler gained the nickname "Salt". He explains the origin of the name as such: "Anyone's salty when they're in Triple-A, so I just kind of had an edge."
References
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External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet