| Fernando Salas | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Salas in his first stint with the Angels | |||||||||||||||
| Olmecas de Tabasco – No. 59 | |||||||||||||||
| Pitcher | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1985-05-30)May 30, 1985 (age 40) Huatabampo,Sonora,Mexico | |||||||||||||||
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| May 28, 2010, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics (through 2019 season) | |||||||||||||||
| Win–loss record | 25–28 | ||||||||||||||
| Earned run average | 3.91 | ||||||||||||||
| Strikeouts | 474 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Noel Fernando Salas Buitimea[1] (born May 30, 1985) is a Mexican professionalbaseballpitcher for theOlmecas de Tabasco of theMexican League. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theSt. Louis Cardinals,Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim,New York Mets,Arizona Diamondbacks, andPhiladelphia Phillies. He made his MLB debut with the Cardinals in 2010.
Fernando Salas was born and raised inHuatabampo, Mexico. Growing up he never thought about playing in the American Major Leagues, instead being a fan ofMexican League baseball. Said Salas: "There is a lot of money to stay in Mexican League. A lot of players in Mexican League have a chance, (at American baseball) but they want a lot of money." Although he watched little if any American baseball—the only game he can remember watching is the1993 World Series between theToronto Blue Jays andPhiladelphia Phillies—he had a dream of proving he was good enough to play in the major leagues.[2]
Salas first pitched professionally at age 20 when he was signed by theSaraperos de Saltillo of theMexican League. There his pitching coach wasSid Monge a veteran of ten years in American Major League baseball as a player and a coach in the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system.[2] According to Salas, Monge was the reason he is now playing in the major leagues:"He pushed me. He said 'You can go to America'. He believed in me."[2] Representatives from other major league teams took interest in Salas as well, with scouts from theChicago Cubs,Kansas City Royals,Detroit Tigers and the Cardinals watching Salas pitch in the 2006 Mexican League playoffs.
The Cardinals were impressed enough to buy Salas' contract from Saltillo in February 2007. He reported for spring training inJupiter, Florida, remaining there for the entire season with the Cardinals High-A ball affiliatePalm Beach Cardinals. He advanced through the minor league system, playing for the Double-ASpringfield Cardinals in 2008 and Triple-AMemphis Redbirds for the 2009 season.[2] Salas began 2010 in Memphis but was called up to the majors for the first time on May 27, 2010.[3] He made his major league debut the next day, pitching one scoreless inning.
In 2011, he replacedRyan Franklin as the Cardinals'closer, earning 24 saves in 68 appearances with a 2.28 ERA.[2] Salas began the 2012 season with St. Louis, but after going 0–3 with a 6.32 ERA in 18 games, he was optioned to Triple-AMemphis.[4] It was later learned that Salas had been hampered by akidney stone, and once that medical situation passed he returned to St. Louis later in the season.[2] He finished the 2012 season with a record of 1–4, 60 strikeouts, and a 4.30 ERA.[5]
On November 22, 2013, he was traded along withDavid Freese to theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim forPeter Bourjos andRandal Grichuk.[6]
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On August 31, the Angels traded Salas to theNew York Mets for minor league pitcher Erik Manoah.[7] He debuted for the club on September 1, pitching a scoreless inning against theMiami Marlins atCiti Field.[8] On February 15, 2017, Salas signed a one-year contract with the Mets.[9] On his thirty-second birthday, Salas recorded his first Major League hit off ofCarlos Torres of theMilwaukee Brewers at Citi Field.[10] He was designated for assignment on August 11, 2017.[11] He was released by the Mets on August 16, 2017.
On August 19, 2017, Salas signed a minor league contract with theLos Angeles Angels.
On January 22, 2018, Salas signed a minor league deal with theArizona Diamondbacks.[12] In 44 games for Arizona, he was 4–4 with a 4.50 ERA in 40 innings. On July 6, 2018, Salas was designated for assignment. He was released on July 9, 2018.
On July 16, 2018, Salas signed a minor league contract with theAtlanta Braves. In 6 games for the Triple–AGwinnett Stripers, he struggled to a 12.00 ERA with 9 strikeouts over 6 innings of work. Salas was released by the Braves organization on August 11.
On March 6, 2019, Salas signed with theAcereros de Monclova of theMexican League.[13] In 27 appearances for Monclova, he recorded a 4.08 ERA with 30 strikeouts across28+2⁄3 innings pitched.
On June 7, 2019, Salas signed a minor league deal with thePhiladelphia Phillies and was assigned to theLehigh Valley IronPigs. On June 24, his contract was selected by the Phillies.[14] He was designated for assignment on June 28 after appearing in just one game.[15] Salas had his contract selected by the Phillies on July 18. He was once again designated for assignment on July 21, after the signing ofDrew Smyly, and outrighted on July 23. In 2019 with the Triple–ALehigh Valley IronPigs he was 1–1 with a 4.63 ERA in 18 relief appearances (23+1⁄3 innings), and with the Phillies he pitched2+2⁄3 innings in which he gave up two runs.[16] He elected free agency on October 1. After the 2019 season, he played forNaranjeros de Hermosillo of theMexican Pacific League.
On February 28, 2020, Salas signed with theAcereros de Monclova of theMexican League. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Mexican League season because of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[17]
On March 30, 2021, Salas was traded to theOlmecas de Tabasco of theMexican League. In his first year with Tabasco, he logged an 0.42 ERA with 23 strikeouts and 12 saves across 21 appearances.
Salas pitched in 33 games for the Olmecas in 2022, posting a 2–3 record and 4.80 ERA with 32 strikeouts and 20 saves across 30 innings of relief. He made 29 appearances for Tabasco in 2023, recording a 1.47 ERA with 33 strikeouts and 20 saves over30+2⁄3 innings pitched.
Salas made 33 appearances out of thebullpen in 2024, compiling a 1.36 ERA with 33 strikeouts and a league–leading 28saves across 33 innings of work.[18]
Salas and his wife, Daniela, are parents of a son, Fernando, born during 2012spring training. He is being raised inMexico.[19] It is not a situation to Salas' liking: "Other Latin players have a lot of family in America. For me, it didn't happen. It's a little difficult because my family doesn't know any English. But they know it's work. They know it's a profession." and "I love the opportunity. I want to do everything I can to stay here."[2]
