| Joe Biagini | |
|---|---|
 Biagini with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2016 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1990-05-29)May 29, 1990 (age 35) Menlo Park, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 8, 2016, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 3, 2021, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 15–25 |
| Earned run average | 5.03 |
| Strikeouts | 278 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Joseph Carlo Biagini (born May 29, 1990) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theToronto Blue Jays,Houston Astros andChicago Cubs. TheSan Francisco Giants selected Biagini in the 26th round of the2011 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut for Toronto in 2016. Born in the United States, he represented theItaly national baseball team.
Biagini attendedThe King's Academy inSunnyvale, California. After the graduation, he attended theCollege of San Mateo and later theUniversity of California, Davis.[1][2] While attending the College of San Mateo in 2010, Biagini underwentTommy John surgery.[3] After the 2011 season, he playedcollegiate summer baseball with theBrewster Whitecaps of theCape Cod Baseball League.[4]
TheSan Francisco Giants selected Biagini in the 26th round of the2011 Major League Baseball draft.[2] He made his professional debut with the Class-AAugusta GreenJackets in 2012. In nine starts with the team, he pitched to a 0–4win–loss record, 7.41earned run average (ERA), and 36 strikeouts in 34 innings.[2] He was demoted to the Short Season-ASalem-Keizer Volcanoes in June, where he made 14 appearances (12 starts) and pitched to a 2–4 record, 4.27 ERA, and 63 strikeouts in 59 innings.[2] Biagini played the entire 2013 season with the GreenJackets, pitching 962⁄3 total innings in 20 starts. He posted a 7–6 record, 5.03 ERA, and 79 strikeouts.[2]
In 2014, Biagini was promoted to the Advanced-ASan Jose Giants, and made 23 starts for the team, finishing the year with a 10–9 record, 4.01 ERA, and 103 strikeouts in 128 innings pitched.[2] He would play the entire 2015 season with the Double-ARichmond Flying Squirrels and threw a career-high 1301⁄3 innings over 23 appearances (22 starts). Biagini finished the season with a 10–7 win–loss record, 2.42 ERA, and 84 strikeouts.[2]
On December 10, 2015, Biagini was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in theRule 5 draft.[5]
On March 30, 2016, managerJohn Gibbons announced that Biagini had made theOpening Day roster, and would pitch out of the bullpen.[6] He made his Major League debut on April 8, pitching a perfect 9th inning against theBoston Red Sox, and struck outDavid Ortiz for his first career strikeout.[7] He earned his firstwin on May 3, pitching a perfect 10th inning in an eventual 3–1 walk-off victory over theTexas Rangers.[8] On May 19, Biagini earned his firstsave, pitching the 11th inning in a 3–2 win over theMinnesota Twins.[9] Biagini did not yield ahome run until September 3, whenKevin Kiermaier of theTampa Bay Rays hit a two-run shot in a 7–5 loss for the Blue Jays.[10] Biagini finished his first MLB season with a 4–3 record, 3.06 ERA, and 62 strikeouts in 672⁄3 innings pitched.[11]
Biagini began the 2017 season in the Blue Jays' bullpen. With injuries and ineffective performances in Toronto'sstarting rotation, Biagini made his first career start on May 7 and held Tampa Bay to a single unearned run on two hits in four innings, leading the Blue Jays to a 2–1 victory.[12][13] From May to early July, Biagini made 11 starts filling in for the injuredAaron Sanchez andFrancisco Liriano. He was then moved back to the bullpen.[14] On August 4, Biagini was optioned to the Triple-ABuffalo Bisons.[15] He returned to the major leagues, and the rotation, on August 27, allowing 5 runs over 32⁄3 innings in a 7–2 loss to the Minnesota Twins.[16] On September 1, in a game against theBaltimore Orioles, Biagini had his best start as a Blue Jay to date, throwing 7 shutout innings and striking out a career-high 10 batters, though Toronto would eventually lose 1–0 in the 13th.[17] Biagini finished the season splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen, finishing with a record of 3–13 in 44 games, 18 starts. In119+2⁄3 innings, he struck out 97.
Following the signing ofJaime García to be their fifth starter, the Blue Jays optioned Biagini to Buffalo to begin the 2018 season, where he was named the Opening Day starter for the Bisons.[18] The Blue Jays called up Biagini to make a spot start on April 17, for the second game of their doubleheader against theKansas City Royals.[19] Following the game, he was returned to the Bisons. After returning to the major leagues, Biagini spent the majority of the season in the Blue Jays bullpen, appearing in 50 games while making 4 spot starts. He finished the season with a 4–2 record and an ERA of 6 over 72 innings.[20]
On July 31, 2019, Biagini was traded to theHouston Astros (along withAaron Sanchez andCal Stevenson) in exchange forDerek Fisher.[21]In his first appearance with the Astros, Biagini pitched an inning of relief in a combinedno-hitter against theSeattle Mariners. The final score was 9–0.[22] With the2020 Houston Astros, Biagini appeared in 4 games, compiling a 0–0 record with 20.77 ERA and 4 strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched.[23] On September 29, Biagini was designated for assignment.[24] Biagini rejected his outright assignment and elected free agency on October 9, 2020.[25]
On December 17, 2020, Biagini signed a minor league contract with theChicago Cubs organization.[26] He played with theIowa Cubs and was temporarily added to the team's roster as a COVID-19 replacement on October 2 and was removed on October 18, 2021.[27] He elected free agency on November 7.
On March 13, 2022, Biagini signed a minor league contract with theToronto Blue Jays.[28] He was released on July 26, 2022.
Born in the United States and of Italian descent, Biagini played for theItaly national baseball team at the2023 World Baseball Classic.[29]
Biagini's father, Rob, played for the San Francisco Giants organization from 1981 to 1982.[30][31]
In November 2016, Biagini was a member of the audience at a taping ofThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. During the show, Fallon passed Biagini in the audience and attempted tohigh-five him along with other audience members, but missed Biagini's hand. During the November 18 episode, Fallon stated that he had taken criticism onTwitter for botching the high-five, and brought Biagini out on stage briefly to complete their high-five.[32]
· Baseball Almanac| Awards and achievements | ||
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| Preceded by | No-hit game August 3, 2019 (withSanchez,Harris &Devenski) | Succeeded by |
