| Ryan Tepera | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Tepera with theToronto Blue Jays in 2017 | |
| Free agent | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1987-11-03)November 3, 1987 (age 37) Houston, Texas, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 10, 2015, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |
| MLB statistics (through 2023 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 19–20 |
| Earned run average | 3.62 |
| Strikeouts | 366 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Dennis Ryan Tepera (born November 3, 1987) is an American professionalbaseballpitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theToronto Blue Jays,Chicago Cubs,Chicago White Sox,Los Angeles Angels, andSt. Louis Cardinals. He attendedBrazoswood High School in Texas, and playedcollege baseball for theSam Houston State Bearkats.
After graduating fromBrazoswood High School inClute, Texas, Tepera playedcollege baseball atBlinn College before transferring toSam Houston State University.[1] In 2009, his senior season, he went 2–1 with a 7.33 ERA over 43 innings.[2]
The Blue Jays selected Tepera in the 19th round of the2009 Major League Baseball draft.[3] He was assigned to theGulf Coast League Blue Jays, and made 11 appearances for the team, including 5 starts. Tepera posted a 3–1 win–loss record, 1.72 ERA, and 42 strikeouts in 362⁄3 innings.[4] In 2010, he was promoted to the Single-ALansing Lugnuts, and pitched 120 innings over 24 appearances (22 starts). In total, Tepera earned a 9–6 record, 3.98 ERA, and 79 strikeouts.[4] He played the 2011 season with the High-ADunedin Blue Jays, posting an 11–6 record, 4.43 ERA, and 93 strikeouts in a career-high 1461⁄3 innings.[4] Tepera started the 2012 season in Dunedin, and was later promoted to the Double-ANew Hampshire Fisher Cats. He struggled during the year, and finished with an 8–6 record, 5.48 ERA, and 71 strikeouts.[4] In the offseason, Tepera played with theSalt River Rafters of theArizona Fall League, and made 6 starts, going 1–2 with a 6.75 ERA.[4]
Tepera played the entire 2013 season in Double-A New Hampshire, bouncing back with a 10–8 record, 4.50 ERA, and 105 strikeouts in 116 innings.[4] 2014 saw Tepera make his first trip to theTriple-ABuffalo Bisons, where he pitched exclusively as a reliever. In 51 games, he posted a 7–3 record, 3.66 ERA, and 67 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched.[4] The Blue Jays added Tepera to their40-man roster on November 20, 2014, to protect him from theRule 5 draft.[5] He began the 2015 season with theBuffalo Bisons, and was promoted to the major leagues by the Blue Jays on May 8.[6]
Tepera made his debut on May 10, 2015, against theBoston Red Sox. He pitched 2 innings in relief ofR. A. Dickey, and did not allow a baserunner, while striking out 1.[7][8] Tepera was optioned back to Buffalo on August 1,[9] and recalled on September 1.[10] He earned his firstsave on September 12, closing out a 9–5 win over theNew York Yankees.[11] Tepera was initially left off of the postseason roster, however he was added on October 10 afterBrett Cecil suffered a season-ending calf injury the day prior.[12]
After participating in 2016 Major League spring training, Tepera was announced on March 30 as one of the Blue Jays bullpen pitchers forOpening Day.[13] However, shortly afterward the Blue Jays signedFranklin Morales and optioned Tepera to Triple-A Buffalo. On April 27, Tepera was recalled from Buffalo.[14] After taking the loss against theSan Francisco Giants on May 11, Tepera was optioned back to Triple-A Buffalo.[15] He was recalled on May 30,[16] and optioned again on June 5.[17] On July 24, Tepera was recalled afterDrew Storen was designated for assignment.[18] Tepera was returned to Buffalo on July 26. He was recalled on August 10, and optioned back to Buffalo on August 23.[19] After the Major League roster expansion on September 1, Tepera was called up by Toronto.[20] After spring training, Tepera made the 2017 Opening Day roster.[21] On April 21, he earned his first careerwin after pitching three shutout innings against theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim.[22] Tepera finished the 2017 season with a 3.59 ERA and 81 strikeouts over 772⁄3 innings.[23] He began the 2018 season as the setup man to closerRoberto Osuna. He was placed on the disabled list on June 30 with elbow inflammation.[24] Tepera finished the season with a 5–5 record in 68 games, striking out 68 in64+2⁄3 innings. Tepera went intoarbitration hearings with the Blue Jays in 2019 and remained the last Blue Jay to do so untilVladimir Guerrero Jr in 2025.[25] He lost his arbitration case, and was awarded a $1,525,000 salary Friday rather than his request for $1.8 million.[26]
Tepera wasdesignated for assignment on November 4, 2019. He elected free agency four days later.[27] On December 20, he signed a one-year deal with theChicago Cubs.[28] On November 12, 2020, Tepera received a single vote forNational League Most Valuable Player, finishing in a tie for eighteenth place.[29]Rick Hummel, the writer who cast the vote for Tepera, indicated that it was an input error: Hummel had intended to vote forTrea Turner, but clicked the wrong name on the online form'sdrop-down menu.[30] On December 2, Tepera was nontendered by the Cubs.
On February 26, 2021, Tepera re-signed with the Cubs on a one-year, $800,000 contract.[31] On April 15, Tepera received a three-game suspension for intentionally throwing a pitch at pitcherBrandon Woodruff in a game against theMilwaukee Brewers.[32] Tepera was named theNL Reliever of the Month for May.[33] On June 24, 2021, Tepera pitched a combinedno-hitter against theLos Angeles Dodgers along withZach Davies,Andrew Chafin, andCraig Kimbrel.[34]
On July 29, 2021, Tepera was traded to theChicago White Sox in exchange forBailey Horn.[35] Between the Cubs and White Sox, in 2021 Tepera had a 2.79 ERA with 74 strikeouts in61+1⁄3 innings. Tepera pitched4+2⁄3 innings for the White Sox in the series, allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts.[36][37]
On March 19, 2022, Tepera signed a two-year, $14 million contract with theLos Angeles Angels.[38] He made his Angels debut on April 7, 2022, against theHouston Astros, pitching one inning but surrendering consecutive solo home runs toAlex Bregman andYordan Alvarez.[39] On April 11, 2022, hestruck out the side in the 8th inning in a 6–2 win over the Marlins.[40] On April 20, Tepera pitched 2.0perfect innings in a combined 1-hit 1-walk shutout in relief of starting pitcherShohei Ohtani.[41] He finished the year making 59 appearances for the Angels, posting a 3.61 ERA with 47 strikeouts and 6 saves across 57.1 innings pitched.
In 2023, Tepera again worked out of the Angels bullpen, but struggled to 7.27 ERA across 10 games. After allowing a pair of solo home runs to theCleveland Guardians the day prior, Tepera was designated for assignment on May 14, 2023.[42] He was released by the Angels on May 19.[43]
On June 14, 2023, Tepera signed a minor league contract with theTexas Rangers organization.[44] He made 7 scoreless appearances for the Triple–ARound Rock Express, striking out 11 in 8.0 innings of work. On July 14, Tepera exercised the opt–out clause in his contract and became a free agent.[45]
On July 17, 2023, theSt. Louis Cardinals signed Tepera to a major-league contract and immediately activated him.[46] He made only two appearances for St. Louis, surrendering two runs on three hits and one walk with one strikeout in two innings pitched.[47] On July 20, the Cardinals designated Tepera for assignment afterTyler O'Neill was activated from the injured list.[48] He was released by St. Louis on July 26.[49]
Tepera married his wife, Chelsea, in 2021. The couple welcomed their son Cohen in November 2022.[50]
| Awards and achievements | ||
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| Preceded by | No-hit game June 24, 2021 (withDavies,Chafin &Kimbrel) | Succeeded by |