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Robbie Erlin

Robbie Erlin
Erlin with the San Diego Padres in 2013
Free agent
Pitcher
Born: (1990-10-08) October 8, 1990 (age 34)
Oakland, California, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Left
Professional debut
MLB: April 30, 2013, for the San Diego Padres
NPB: April 17, 2021, for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Win–loss record13–20
Earned run average4.87
Strikeouts275
NPB statistics
(through 2021 season)
Win–loss record2-4
Earned run average4.39
Strikeouts46
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Robert Joseph Erlin (born October 8, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

High school career

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Erlin attended Scotts Valley High School in Scotts Valley, California, where he played for the school's baseball team. In 2009, his senior year, he was named Santa Cruz County's Player of the Year. He committed to attend California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) on a baseball scholarship.[1]

Professional career

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Texas Rangers

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The Texas Rangers selected Erlin in the third round of the 2009 MLB draft.[2] Erlin signed, bypassing the scholarship with Cal Poly.[1] Erlin spent 2010 in Class-A ball and split 2011 between High-A and Double-A.[3]

San Diego Padres

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Texas traded Erlin along with fellow Double-A pitcher Joe Wieland to the Padres for reliever Mike Adams at the non-waiver trade deadline on July 31, 2011.[4]

Erlin was placed with the Double-A San Antonio Missions to finish the 2011 season, where he had a 1.38 ERA in six starts.[3] He opened the 2012 season with San Antonio, but strained his elbow and developed tendinitis, making his last start for the team on May 12.[citation needed] He rehabbed the elbow late in the season with the Arizona Rookie League,[5] and then pitched in the Arizona Fall League.[6] Erlin joined the Tucson Padres of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League for the 2013 season.[7] He shuttled back and forth between Tucson and the Major League team, posting an 8-3 record and 5.07 ERA in 20 games with Tucson in 2013.[3]

In 2014 with three Padres minor league teams, he was 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA.[3]

In 2015 with El Paso, where he spent most of the season, he was 7-6 with a 5.60 ERA.[3][8]

Erlin pitching for the Tucson Padres in 2013

Erlin was promoted to the Major Leagues on April 24, 2013,[1][9] and made two appearances in relief before he was optioned back to Tucson on May 2.[citation needed] Erlin was recalled on June 1 for his first Major League start against the Toronto Blue Jays.[10] Erlin won the first decision of his career in that start as the Padres defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 4–3.[citation needed] He was optioned back to Tucson on June 2.[11] Erlin was promoted for a third stint on June 26 to take the rotation spot of Clayton Richard, who went to the disabled list.[12] Erlin was roughed up in successive starts in Boston and Washington in July, unable to get through the fifth inning in either start, and was optioned back to Tucson on July 8.[13] Erlin was recalled late in the season to take the rotation spot of Edinson Vólquez.[14] He fared better in his final stint of 2013, not allowing more than two runs in any of his five starts to finish the season.[3] For the year, he went 3–3 with a 4.12 ERA with the Major League club.[3]

In 2014 with the Padres, he was 4-5 with a 4.99 ERA.[3] He missed most of the season with left elbow soreness.[8] In 2015 with San Diego, he was 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA.[3]

On May 3, 2016, Erlin was diagnosed with a partially torn UCL. He underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow that month and missed the remainder of the 2016 season.[8] For the season, in 15.2 innings he was 1-2 with a 4.02 ERA.[3] Following the non-tenders of Alexi Amarista and Tyson Ross after the 2016 MLB season, Erlin became the longest tenured Padre.[citation needed]

Erlin returned to the Padres in 2018, making the Opening Day roster as a long reliever out of the bullpen.[15] He moved to the starting rotation full-time after Tyson Ross and Jordan Lyles were waived. In 39 appearances (12 starts), he finished 4-7 with an ERA of 4.21 in 109 innings.[3] In 2019, Erlin recorded an ERA of 5.37 in 55+1⁄3 innings.[3] He became a free agent following the 2019 season.[citation needed]

Pittsburgh Pirates

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On January 29, 2020, Erlin signed a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.[16][17] On July 20, 2020, Erlin had his contract selected to the 40-man roster. Erlin was designated for assignment on August 2. [18]

Atlanta Braves

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On August 7, 2020, the Atlanta Braves claimed Erlin off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.[19] Erlin was designated for assignment by the Braves on September 12, 2020.[20] Erlin was released by the Braves on September 14.[21]

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters

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On November 30, 2020, Erlin signed a one-year contract with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball.[22] Erlin made his NPB debut on April 17, 2021, allowing an earned run in two innings of work.[citation needed] He became a free agent following the 2021 season.[citation needed]

Los Angeles Dodgers

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Erlin signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on February 14, 2022.[23] He was assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers and was called up to the major leagues on May 7 as the 27th man for a doubleheader.[24] He pitched two innings for the Dodgers over two games, allowing two runs on two hits[3] before he was designated for assignment on May 11.[25] He pitched in 21 games for Oklahoma City (14 starts) and was 5–4 with a 7.36 ERA.[3]

On February 3, 2023, Erlin re-signed with the Dodgers on a minor league contract.[26] He returned to Oklahoma City, where he pitched in 17 games (16 starts) and logged a 4–2 record and 5.83 ERA.[3] Erlin elected free agency following the season on November 6.[27]

Pitching style

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Erlin has an average fastball in the 88 to 90 miles per hour (142 to 145 km/h) range, but he is able to contrast it with an outstanding curveball and above-average changeup. He will also mix in cutters and sliders to give hitters a different look.[6]

Personal life

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Erlin's father, Rick, is the baseball coach at Scotts Valley.[28]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Seimas, Jim (February 18, 2013). "Robbie Erlin gets call-up from MLB's San Diego Padres". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  2. ^ "Robert Erlin Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights". MiLB.com. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Robbie Erlin Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. ^ Center, Bill (July 31, 2011). "Padres trade Adams, Ludwick; keep Bell, Harang". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on December 30, 2011.
  5. ^ Center, Bill (August 4, 2012). "Rehabbing Kelly, Erlin pitching in Arizona Rookie League". UTSanDiego.com. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  6. ^ a b Sickels, John (April 25, 2013). "Prospect of the Day: Robbie Erlin, LHP, San Diego Padres". SBNation. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  7. ^ Seimas, Jim (March 13, 2013). "Scotts Valley's Robbie Erlin makes Triple-A debut". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Archived from the original on April 9, 2013. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  8. ^ a b c "Robbie Erlin Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com.
  9. ^ "Padres call up lefty prospect Erlin, option Weber". MLB.com. April 24, 2013. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  10. ^ "Padres recall LHP Robbie Erlin and LHP Tommy Layne from Triple-A Tucson and place RHP Huston Street on 15-day DL". San Diego Padres. June 1, 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2013.[dead link‍]
  11. ^ "Padres recall RHP Brad Boxberger from Triple-A Tucson; option LHP Robbie Erlin to Triple-A Tucson". MLB.com. June 2, 2013. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  12. ^ Center, Bill (June 25, 2013). "Erlin promoted to fill void in rotation". UTSanDiego.com. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  13. ^ Seimas, Jim (October 23, 2013). "Scotts Valley's Robbie Erlin reflects on rookie season in MLB". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 27, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  14. ^ Brock, Corey (August 27, 2013). "Erlin to take Volquez's spot in rotation". MLB.com. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  15. ^ "Former Scotts Valley High teammates Robbie Erlin, Shane Carle ready for MLB's Opening Day". March 28, 2018.
  16. ^ Adamski, Chris (January 31, 2020). "Pirates sign LHP Robbie Erlin, C Andrew Susac, OF Charlie Tilson to minor league deals". Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  17. ^ Wilborn, Nubyjas (January 29, 2020). "Pirates sign reliever Robbie Erlin to minor league deal". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  18. ^ "MLBs Pirates designate Robbie Erlin for assignment". Santa Cruz Sentinel. August 2, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  19. ^ Burns, Gabriel (August 7, 2020). "Chris Martin out for Braves' road trip with esophageal constriction". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  20. ^ Bowman, Mark (September 12, 2020). "Braves' rotation solidifying as Newk recalled". MLB.com. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  21. ^ Burns, Gabriel (September 14, 2020). "Braves release lefty Robbie Erlin". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  22. ^ "Robbie Erlin to Sign with Nippon Ham Fighters". November 30, 2020.
  23. ^ "Dodgers Sign Robbie Erlin to Minor League Deal". February 22, 2022.
  24. ^ Stephen, Eric (May 7, 2022). "Dodgers call up Robbie Erlin as 27th player for doubleheader against Cubs". SB Nation. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  25. ^ Dierkes, Tim (May 11, 2022). "Dodgers Designate Robbie Erlin For Assignment". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  26. ^ "2023 Los Angeles Dodgers Spring Training Non-Roster Invitees". dodgerblue.com. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  27. ^ "2023 MiLB Free Agents". baseballamerica.com. November 8, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  28. ^ Seimas, Jim (March 9, 2015). "Santa Cruz County Baseball Preview: Teams look to veterans to break through SCCAL logjam". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
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