| Dustin Hermanson | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1972-12-21)December 21, 1972 (age 52) Springfield, Ohio, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 8, 1995, for the San Diego Padres | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 24, 2006, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 73–78 |
| Earned run average | 4.21 |
| Strikeouts | 874 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Dustin Michael Hermanson (born December 21, 1972) is an American former right-handedpitcher inMajor League Baseball (MLB). Hermanson pitched for several MLB teams between 1995 and 2006, including theWorld Series champion2005 Chicago White Sox. Hermanson served as the team's closer for the majority of the season, and racked up 34saves before sustaining a back injury in September, limiting his appearances throughout the remainder of the season and throughout the playoffs.
Hermanson was born inSpringfield, Ohio, and he attendedKenton Ridge High School in Springfield.[1] He played three seasons ofcollege baseball forKent State, where his fastball increased in speed from 88 mph to 96 mph.[2] He was a finalist for theGolden Spikes Award in 1994. He was selected in the first round of the1994 Major League Baseball Draft with the third overall selection by theSan Diego Padres. Hermanson split the 1994 season between Double-A and Triple-A before making his MLB debut in 1995.
Hermanson played for the Padres and their Triple-A affiliate, theLas Vegas Stars, in 1995 and 1996. He then played for theMontreal Expos for four seasons before moving around to theSt. Louis Cardinals,Boston Red Sox,San Francisco Giants, andChicago White Sox. With Montreal and St. Louis, Hermanson was a starting pitcher early in his career, but moved mostly into a relief role starting in 2002.[1] It was also during his first season with Montreal that he had his first ever at-bat, hitting ahome run offShane Reynolds in the fifth inning,[3] one of only a handful of pitchers to achieve this feat.
In 2005 Hermanson served as the second of threeclosers for the White Sox. Hermanson replaced a strugglingShingo Takatsu. Hermanson saved 34 games before suffering a late-season back injury. Hermanson was replaced by rookieBobby Jenks in late September. Hermanson finished the season with a 2.04 ERA, and his injury limited him to a single appearance in the 2005 playoffs.
On October 30, 2006, the White Sox declined a 2007 option for $3.65 million on Hermanson. He received a $500,000 payout. He signed a minor league deal with aspring training invitation with the Reds on March 1, 2007. Hermanson was discussed as a possible closer for the Reds, but he had a 7.36 ERA in spring training and the Reds asked him to go to the minor leagues. Hermanson asked to be released instead of reporting to Triple-A.[4]
By June 2007, Hermanson said he was probably finished playing baseball. He was dealing with a bad back, and he said he looked forward to being more available to his children.[5]
