Tyler Clippard

At 39 years old, Tyler Clippard has this physical status:

Tyler Lee Clippard (born February 14, 1985) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent.

He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, Oakland Athletics, New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, and Cleveland Indians. After playing baseball at J. W. Mitchell High School in New Port Richey, Florida, the Yankees drafted Clippard in the ninth round of the 2003 MLB draft.

He debuted with the Yankees as a starting pitcher in 2007.

The Yankees traded him to the Nationals before the 2008 season, and the Nationals converted him into a relief pitcher in 2009.

Clippard led the major leagues in holds in 2014.

He was named to the MLB All-Star Game in 2011 and 2014, and won the MLB Delivery Man of the Month Award in June 2012. The Nationals traded Clippard to the Athletics before the 2015 season, who traded him to the Mets during the 2015 season.

He signed as a free agent with the Diamondbacks before the 2016 season, and was traded to the Yankees in 2016.

He began the 2017 season with the Yankees, but was traded to the White Sox, and then to the Astros.

He signed with the Blue Jays in 2018.

In 2019 he signed with the Indians to a minor-league contract.

Personal life

Clippard was raised by his parents, Bob and Debbie Clippard. He has a brother named Colin, who played Little League baseball with Tyler. He is from Tampa, Florida.

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Amateur career

Clippard was born in Lexington, Kentucky. When he was a child, his family immigrated to Florida. Clippard played baseball in Little League for ten years; in ten years, he won seven district championships, but he was unable to advance to the Little League World Series. When he was eight years old, he learned to pitch. He was a member of the Palm Harbor team that won the Senior League World Series in 2001.

Clippard began his high school years at Palm Harbor University High School in Palm Harbor, Florida. After struggling to make the varsity baseball team in his first two seasons, he transferred to J. W. Mitchell High School in New Port Richey, Florida, where he played for the school's baseball team. He played six games as a youth in 2002. He was voted to the All-Conference first team.

Clippard's last season, he was a 1–1 finisher with an ERA of 0.81 and 31 strikeouts in 17+1;3 innings pitched. However, he was suspended from the school's baseball team after being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Clippard joined Dunedin High School in Dunedin, Florida, where the Red Crossbar was ranked nationally ranked baseball team. Clippard tried to play for their team, but the Florida High School Athletic Association denied it because players are not allowed to transfer during a season, nor are they allowed to transfer to avoid sanctions imposed for disciplinary reasons. Clippard and his classmates reenrolled in Mitchell after being in Dunedin for a month in order to graduate from high school.

Clippard played for the Central Florida Renegades in Connie Mack Baseball, an amateur 18-and-under tournament arranged by the American Amateur Baseball Congress. In June 2003, he received pitcher of the Week awards in the Florida State Elite Baseball League.

Clippard also played golf at Mitchell. Clippard was dubbed one of the best golfers in Pasco County as a sophomore in 2001. He had the highest individual score in the Sunshine Athletic Conference tournament this year. He was voted to the All-Conference first team as a junior and to the All-County as a senior, and he helped lead Mitchell to victory in the Sunshine Athletic Conference tournament during his senior season.

Professional career

Clippard proactively sent scouts a schedule of when he was throwing and attending as many showcases as he could without the benefit of a complete senior season to showcase himself to scouts. Roy Silver, a former professional baseball player who worked with Clippard on his mechanics and maturity, trained with him. Bob Brotchman, the father of Florida high school player Casey Kotchman, joined with Tom Kotchman to host showcases with current Clippard teammates.

The New York Yankees selected Clippard in the ninth round of the 2003 MLB draft, resulting in the 274th overall pick. Despite signing a National Letter of Intent in 2002 to attend the University of South Florida on a baseball scholarship, allowing him to play college baseball for the South Florida Bulls, he turned professional due to his draft position and his potential to play for the Yankees.

Clippard made his professional debut with the GCL in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League (GCL) in 2010, winning by 3–3 with a 2.89 ERA. He allowed 33 runs and five walks in 43+2/3 innings before striking out 56. Clippard's 2004 debut in the Battle Creek Yankees of the Class A Midwest League had a 10.10 ERA and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.53:1.

In 2005, Clippard was 10–9 with a 3.18 ERA for the Tampa Yankees of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League (FSL). In the FSL All-Star Game, he was assigned to the West team. However, he did not appear in the game, because the Charleston RiverDogs of the Class A South Atlantic League needed another pitcher on the day. Clippard was named FSL pitcher of the week for the week of July 10 to 17. Opponents batted.219 against him, knocking out 169 batters in 147+13 innings while walking 34 runs on the ground, despite being inactive for the season. He led the Yankee farmhands in strikeouts and finished fifth in the affiliated minor leagues, behind Francisco Liriano, Joel Zumaya, Rich Hill, and Chuck James. He was also the FSL's top strikeouts leader and was his seventh in ERA. However, he did not make the FSL post-season All-Star team, and Baseball America did not include him as one of the top prospects in the league.

Clippard was the Yankees' tenth best prospect going into the 2006 season, according to Baseball America. Clippard led Yankee farmhands in strikeouts (175) after being promoted to the Trenton Thunder of the Class AA Eastern League in 2006. He had a.200 batting average and had three times as many strikeouts as walks, with just one being a walker. Clippard's average for the Trenton Thunder was 12-10, with a 3.35 ERA. On August 17, the Harrisburg Senators were shutting down the Harrisburg Senators for the first no-hitter in franchise history. For his play, he was named as the Eastern League's pitcher of the week for the week. Clippard flirted with a superb game against the Binghamton Mets earlier this season, retiring the first 21 batters. Clippard also won nine straight games at a point, beating the club's record of eight games shared by Tomo Ohka and Carl Pavano. He and Phil Hughes formed one of the best pitching pairings in minor league baseball. Clippard was fifth in the affiliated minors in strikeouts, behind Yovani Gallardo, Francisco Cruceta, Matt Maloney, and Franklin Morales. He led the Eastern League in strikeouts and was seventh in ERA. He was ranked as the tenth-best prospect in the Eastern League by Baseball America.

Clippard began in 2007 with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees of the Class AAA International League. In his first eight starts, he was 3–2 with a 2.72 ERA, losing 41 in 39 2/3 innings but still allowing 40 hits and 17 walks. Despite the fact that Matt DeSalvo and Chase Wright were both injured in the starting rotation, the Yankees called on them before Clippard. Clippard was summoned to New York when Darrell Rasner broke his finger in May. Following Hughes, DeSalvo, Rasner, Wright, Kei Igawa, and Jeff Karstens, he was the seventh rookie to start a game for the 2007 New York Yankees.

Clippard won his first MLB victory on May 20, 2007, during his interleague match against the New York Mets. He pitched six innings, taking one run off David Wright's bat and three hits. José Reyes, his first major league batter, was out on three pitches. In his second at-bat against Mets pitcher Scott Schoeneweis, a double to right center in the sixth inning. In June, Clippard was recalled to the minor leagues. He failed in his return to the minor leagues for Scranton/Wilkes Barre, and he was demoted to Trenton in July. Clippard failed in the playoffs despite being a member of the Trenton team when they won the Eastern League championship. In September, the Yankees recalled him. Overall, he had a 3–1 record and a 6.33 ERA with the Yankees.

Clippard was traded by the Washington Nationals to relieve pitcher Jonathan Albaladejo on December 4, 2007. He was viewed by the Nationals as a candidate for a spot in the starting rotation. Nevertheless, he began the season with the Columbus Clippers, Washington's Class AAA affiliate. After Odalis Pérez was put on the 15-day disabled list, he played his first game for the Nationals on June 9, 2008. After this time, he was assigned to the minor leagues, but a few days later, Pérez was back to the minor leagues, but he wasn't ready to return. After his second season, the Nationals escorted Clippard to Columbus, in which Clippard pitched to a 1–1 record and 4.35 ERA. He was recalled later in June after being put on the disabled list. He spent the majority of the season with Columbus, going 6–13 with a 4.66 ERA. He tied Yorman Bazardo and Charlie Haeger for the most losses in the International League this season.

The Nationals optioned Clippard to the Syracuse Chiefs, Washington's new Class AAA affiliate, during spring training in 2009. Despite playing six games with the Yankees and two for the Nationals in 2008, he was converted to a relief pitcher for the 2009 season. Steve McCatty, the Nationals' pitching coach, told Clippard that his future was pitching in relief because his pitch count had tended to get too high in starts, and opposing batters had a field day against Clippard, and the lineup had been solidified by the third time the lineup was over in a game. Clippard's first resisted the move to the bullpen, but his father and agent, Casey Close, reassured him to keep following his dream. Clippard appeared in 20 games for Syracuse in 2009, a 4–1 record, 0.92 ERA, and 42 strikeouts in 39 innings. Clippard appeared in 14 consecutive appearances before being promoted to the Nationals on June 21, 2009, replacing Kip Wells in the Nationals' bullpen. He batted out 67 strikeouts in the first weeks after being promoted to a 2.69 ERA in 601st innings.

Clippard has pitched primarily out of the bullpen since 2010, principally in the eighth inning. Clippard and Drew Storen were the setup pitchers for Matt Capps during the 2008-season. Clippard and Capps earned the nickname "Clip and Save" after pitching well in the first half of the season. Clippard finished eighth in the National League in appearances, with 78. He played in eleven games on the season, leading the team.

Clippard had a 1–0 record and 1.73 ERA in the first half of the 2011 season. In 51+13 innings pitched, he struck out 63 batters and allowed only 26 runs, while only six of the 32 inherited runners scored. Clippard was chosen to participate in the All-Star Game for his contributions. Despite not retiring a batter, he earned the National League win as the game's champion pitcher. Adrián Beltré, the only batter Clippard had seen, was out batting José Bautista at home plate, but Hunter Pence put the NL in the lead in the next inning. Clippard completed the season with a 3–0 record, a 1.83 ERA, and 104 strikeouts in 88+13 innings pitched in 72 games. He led the National League in win probability additions.

Clippard and the Nationals agreed to a one-year deal worth $1.65 million before the 2012 season, avoiding salary arbitration. In the first half of the 2012 season, Clippard moved closer to the Nationals. Henry Rodrigue became the closer after suffering with Storen and Brad Lidge, but Rodriguez left the job to Clippard due to his health. And after Storen returned to the team, the Nationals kept Clippard as their closer. He was named a Man of the Month Award in June 2012 for his role in June 2012, making ten saves in ten attempts and allowing zero runs in 11+2nd3 innings pitched.

Clippard's earnings in 2013 hit $4 million. In 71 innings pitched, he had a 6.31 ERA and 73 strikeouts. Clippard and the Nationals also decided on a $5.875 million salary for the 2014 season. He appeared in 20 of the Nationals' first 40 games but was frustrated with poor command of his pitches. His workload was reduced, and he was invited to participate in the 2014 All-Star Game. He finished the season with a 2.18 ERA and led MLB with 40 holds.

On January 14, 2015, the Nationals traded Clippard to the Oakland Athletics for Yunel Escobar. Clippard and the Athletics also agreed on an $8.3 million salary for the 2015 season. Clippard served as the team's closer with Athletics' closer Sean Doolittle coming off the disabled list early this season. Clippard played 17 games for the Athletics, pitching to a 2.79 ERA in 38+2/3 innings.

The Athletics traded Clippard to the New York Mets for pitching prospect Casey Meisner on July 27, 2015. Clippard returned to a setup role, with Jeurys Familia remaining the Mets' closer. Clippard pitched to a 3.06 ERA in 32+1/3 innings with the Mets. Clippard allowed five earned runs in 6+2/3 innings in the 2015 MLB postseason.

Clippard's first few job offers were less than he had anticipated, Clippard signed a two-year, $12.25 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks on February 8, 2016. Clippard had a 3.8 percent ERA in 37+1/3 innings as of July 31, 2016.

The Diamondbacks traded Clippard to the Yankees for Vicente Campos on July 31, 2016. In the remaining season of the 2016 season, he had a 2.49 ERA in 2513 innings for the Yankees. He started the 2017 season with a 1.57 ERA in 23 innings. He continued with his command, pitching to a 13.06 ERA over his next 10+13 innings, but he kept the All-Star break with two scoreless appearances. His ERA soared to 4.9 percent as a result.

The Yankees traded Clippard, Blake Rutherford, Ian Clarkin, and Tito Polo to the Chicago White Sox for David Robertson, Todd Frazier, and Tommy Kahnle on July 18, 2017. Clippard made 11 appearances with the White Sox, earning two saves and pitching to a 1.80 ERA.

On August 13, 2017, the White Sox traded Clippard to the Houston Astros in exchange for a player to be announced later or cash considerations. Clippard transformed his biographical details on Twitter and Instagram, breaking the news himself. Clippard made 16 more appearances out of the bullpen, including a 0–2 record and a 6.43 ERA, with the Astros winning in 2017. Clippard's total numbers in 2017 reached 67 appearances out of the bullpen, a 2–8 record, and a 4.77 ERA. The Astros had a 101–61 record in 2017, clinching the AL West. Clippard, on the other hand, was not involved in any postseason action, although he was still on the Astros' 40-man roster at the time. In seven games of the 2017 World Series, the Astros defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in their first World Series in franchise history. After 11 seasons of service in the Majors, Clippard will still win his first World Series championship.

Clippard announced on March 7, 2018, that he had a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. On March 29, 2018, the Blue Jays acquired him, and he was assigned to the Opening Day roster. Clippard began receiving save opportunities after Roberto Osuna, the Blue Jays' closer, was put on administrative leave in May. Clippard received his World Series ring on June 25, the Blue Jays' visit to Houston, when the Blue Jays visited Houston. Clippard made his first appearance against the Seattle Mariners on August 2, his first appearance since 2008. His 680 relief appearances between starts set a new major league record. Clippard ended the 2018 season with a 3.67 ERA, seven saves, 15 holds, and 85 strikeouts over 6823 innings.

Clippard's junior league contract with the Cleveland Indians ended on February 23, 2019, earning $1.75 million if he pitched at the major league level. During spring training, he was given a non-roster invitation to spring training Clippard strained a pectoral muscle and was barred from continuing on spring training. The Indians were fired and resigned Clippard on March 20 to save Clippard a $100,000 retention bonus.

On April 25, 2019, the Indians selected Clippard's contract from the Columbus Clippers. He was an integral part of Cleveland's bullpen and was used twice as an opener. Following the 2019 season, Clippard became a free agent.

Clippard's rookie deal with the Minnesota Twins began on December 20, 2019. Clippard's 2019 Minnesota Twins played in 26 games, totaling a 2-1 record with 2.77 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched.

Clippard's 2021-2021 deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks involved a mutual option. Clippard's first stint on the injured list in his MLB career came on March 21, 2021, with a capsule sprain in his throwing arm, which resulted in his absence from six weeks until the 2021 season. Clippard was placed on the 60-day injured list by the Diamondbacks on March 29, where they had placed him on the 60-day injured list. On July 21, Clippard was added to the injured list.

Clippard signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals on March 26, 2022. The Nationals selected Clippard's contract on July 13. On August 23, he was designated for deployment. According to a team news, Clippard granted waivers, refused an outright position, and was selected for a free agency two days later.

International career

Clippard competed for Team USA in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, aiding the team in winning the tournament. He pitched 4 and a third innings, giving up only one run and recording six strikeouts.

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