| Adam Liberatore | |
|---|---|
 Liberatore with theLos Angeles Dodgers in 2016 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1987-05-12)May 12, 1987 (age 37) Bellflower, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 17, 2015, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| June 20, 2018, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 6–5 |
| Earned run average | 3.55 |
| Strikeouts | 93 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Adam Joseph Liberatore (born May 12, 1987) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher who played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theLos Angeles Dodgers.
Liberatore is ofItalian descent and attendedQuigley Catholic High School inBaden, Pennsylvania, for three years, and transferred toBlackhawk High School inChippewa Township, Pennsylvania, for his senior year. He pitched 61⁄3 innings as a senior and graduated from Blackhawk in 2005.[1] He played for theAmerican Legion team after his senior year and the coach thought he was more comfortable in the outfield than at pitcher.[1]In the summer of 2005, he received a scholarship attendTennessee Technological University and playcollege baseball for theTennessee Tech Golden Eagles.[2]
Liberatore appeared in only six games and made one start as a freshman, while allowing twelve earned runs in 10 innings.[3] In 2007, as a sophomore, he appeared in 15 games with four starts and an 8.42earned run average (ERA)[3] and as a junior he had an 8.68 ERA in 13 appearances (eight starts).[3] He participated in theValley Baseball League over the summer between his junior and senior seasons and won the pitcher of the year honors while leading the league with a .170 batting average against.[4] In 2009, he was 2-0 with a perfect 0.00 ERA in three starts, with 21 strikeouts[3] when he left his last game with a season-ending elbow injury.[4] Liberatore underwentTommy John surgery[5] and received a medical redshirt season.[4] In 2010, as a redshirt senior, he was 6-4 with a 5.30 ERA in 13 starts.[3]
TheTampa Bay Rays selected Liberatore in the 21st round of the2010 MLB draft.[2][6] Astarting pitcher in college, the Rays transitioned Liberatore into arelief pitcher. He made his professional debut with theHudson Valley Renegades of theClass A-Short SeasonNew York–Penn League in 2010, and played for theCharlotte Stone Crabs of theClass A-AdvancedFlorida State League in 2011.[7] Liberatore split the 2012 season between theMontgomery Biscuits of theClass AASouthern League and theDurham Bulls of theClass AAAInternational League, with a combined 4-5 record and 2.47 ERA in 49 games.[7] He played for Durham in 2013 and 2014.[5] Liberatore had a 1.66earned run average in the 2014 season, after which the Rays named him their Minor League Reliever of the Year.[8]
On November 20, 2014, Liberatore was traded to theLos Angeles Dodgers, along withJoel Peralta, in exchange forJose Dominguez andGreg Harris. He was also added to the Dodgers40-man roster.[9] At the conclusion of spring training, he was optioned to the AAAOklahoma City Dodgers.[10]
Liberatore began the 2015 season with theOklahoma City Dodgers of the Class AAAPacific Coast League. The Dodgers called him up to the major leagues for the first time on April 17, 2015.[11] He made his debut by pitching the ninth inning against theColorado Rockies that night, retiring all three batters he faced.[12] Liberatore pitched in 39 games for the Dodgers with a 2–2 record and 4.25 ERA.[13] He also pitched in 19 games for Oklahoma City, with a 3.74 ERA.[7]
On July 9, 2016, Liberatore set a Dodgers franchise record with his 24th consecutive scoreless appearance, breaking the mark previously set byJohn Candelaria in1991.[14] In 2016, he appeared in 58 games with a 3.38 ERA.[13] He underwent left elbow debridement surgery after the season.[15]
Liberatore was again optioned to Oklahoma City to begin the 2017 season.[16] After pitching in six games in the minors, he was recalled to the Dodgers on April 23.[17] He was sidelined with a groin injury in May[18] and then came down with left forearm tightness shortly afterwards.[19] That injury wound up keeping him on the disabled list for the rest of the season.[20] He only pitched 31⁄3 innings over four games for the Dodgers in 2017, allowing one run on three hits.[13]
On May 4, 2018, against theSan Diego Padres atEstadio de Béisbol Monterrey, Liberatore was one of four pitchers involved in a combinedno-hitter as the Dodgers won 4–0, pitching the ninth inning to finish off the game.[21] The Dodgers designated him for assignment on August 31, 2018[22] and released him on September 5.[23] In 17 major league games in 2018, he allowed four earned runs in 13 innings for a 2.77 ERA.[13]
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | No-hit game May 4, 2018 (withBuehler,Cingrani &García | Succeeded by |