| Dallas Braden | |
|---|---|
 Braden in 2010 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1983-08-13)August 13, 1983 (age 42) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 24, 2007, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| April 16, 2011, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 26–36 |
| Earned run average | 4.16 |
| Strikeouts | 305 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Dallas Lee Braden (born August 13, 1983) is an American former professionalbaseball player and televisionsports commentator. He played inMajor League Baseball as a left-handedpitcher from2007 to2011 as a member of theOakland Athletics. Braden pitched the19th perfect game in Major League Baseball history, on May 9, 2010. The following season, shoulder problems were the first in a series of injuries that forced him to ultimately retire in 2014 after not throwing a pitch for two and a half seasons. After his playing career, Braden became a television baseball analyst.
Braden was born inPhoenix, Arizona. He playedLittle Leaguebaseball inStockton, California, in the Hoover Tyler Little League. Braden graduated fromStagg High School in Stockton,[1] where he played baseball and rancross country. His mother, Jodie Atwood, died ofcancer during his senior year. After his mother's death, he lived with his maternal grandmother.[2]
Braden was first drafted by theAtlanta Braves in the 46th round of the2001 MLB draft, but he did not sign. Braden played two seasons ofcollege baseball atAmerican River College inSacramento County, California, where he posted a combinedrecord of 12–4 including acomplete game againstFresno City College while allowing onehit andstriking out 14 batters.[3] He then played one season for theTexas Tech Red Raiders.[4]
TheOakland Athletics selected Braden out of Texas Tech in the 24th round of the2004 MLB draft. In 2004, Braden began the season with theClass A Short SeasonVancouver Canadians. He made eightrelief appearances, picking up a pair of victories and was promoted to theClass AKane County Cougars and pitched exclusively as a starter. He made five starts for Kane County, and posted a 2–1 record.
In 2005, Braden split the season between theClass A-AdvancedStockton Ports and theDouble-AMidland RockHounds. He posted a 6–0 record for the Ports, and a 9–5 mark for the RockHounds. His composite total of 15 wins led all A's minor league pitchers and earned him Pitcher of the Year honors for the Athletics organization.[5] He underwent shoulder surgery in the 2005–06 offseason.[5] At the beginning of his minor league career, Braden was known for throwing thescrewball; he abandoned it shortly after his shoulder surgery.[6]
Braden began the 2006 season on a rehabilitation assignment with the rookie leagueArizona League Athletics. He made six starts, going 2–0 and moved up to Stockton, where was also 2–0 with a 6.23 ERA. He was promoted to Double-A Midland where he made one start, giving up sixruns in3+1⁄3 innings pitched while receiving ano decision. His composite 2006 numbers were: 4–0 record, 4.10 ERA, 55strikeouts and eightwalks in37+1⁄3 innings of work.
Braden began the 2007 season in Double-A Midland and was promoted to theTriple-ASacramento River Cats after one start.
WhenRich Harden got hurt on April 23, the Athletics promoted Braden to the majors to replace him.[7] On April 24, Braden made his first major league start and picked up the win against theBaltimore Orioles.[8] He went 1–8 that season for Oakland, pitching72+1⁄3 innings across 20 games (14 starts) with 55 strikeouts and 26 walks.
In 2008, Braden split time between Triple-A Sacramento and Oakland. He posted an ERA of 4.14 in 19 MLB games (10 starts), pitching71+2⁄3 innings with 41 strikeouts and 25 walks.[9] Braden was Oakland'sOpening Day starter in 2009, giving up three runs in six innings to theLos Angeles Angels on April 6 and taking the loss.[10] He spent the entire season with Oakland, appearing in 22 games (all starts) while compiling an 8–9 record with 3.89 ERA, pitching136+2⁄3 innings with 81 strikeouts at 42 walks.
On April 6, 2010, Braden's first outing of the season, he struck out a career high 10 batters in seven innings, allowing one run on four hits and walked one.[11] He received a no-decision, but the team got the win in the tenth inning.
On April 22, Braden was pitching against theNew York Yankees when he became angry with Yankees third basemanAlex Rodriguez for breaking anunwritten rule when Rodriguez ran across the pitcher's mound on his way back to first base after a foul ball. At the end of the inning as the players were switching sides, Braden yelled at Rodriguez. Rodriguez offered no apology and later engaged Braden in the press, pointing to his short career and losing record.[12]
On May 9, 2010, Braden pitched the 19thperfect game in MLB history against theTampa Bay Rays in Oakland.[13] He did it in 109 pitches, 77 of which were strikes, with catcherLandon Powell behind the plate. Braden had lost his mother tomelanoma, so pitching the 19th perfect game in major league history was of even greater significance to Braden because he achieved the feat onMother's Day.[14] 10 years later, Braden claimed to have pitched the game whilehung over.[2]
Braden finished the 2010 season with an 11–14 record in 30 starts for the Athletics. He threw five complete games along with two shutouts, pitching a total of192+2⁄3 innings with 113 strikeouts at 43 walks.[9]
Braden made three starts in 2011, with a 1–1 record and 3.00 ERA, before feeling discomfort in his shoulder. He was diagnosed with a torncapsule in his left shoulder and would need immediate surgery. Braden missed the remainder of the 2011 season.[15]
On December 13, 2011, Braden avoided arbitration by signing a one-year deal. He made $3.35 million in guaranteed money, with $400,000 in incentives. Braden missed the entire 2012 season and on August 21, he required an additional surgery, this time to repair therotator cuff of his shoulder. The surgery would also sideline him for the first half of the 2013 season. Following the season, Braden was let go and he became afree agent. Braden officially announced his retirement on January 14, 2014, citing his arm being a "shredded mess."[16]
Overall, in his five seasons with Oakland, Braden appeared in 94 MLB games (79 starts), compiling a 26–36 record with 4.16 ERA while pitching491+1⁄3 innings with 305 strikeouts and 141 walks. He did not have any postseason appearances, as the Athletics did not have a winning season in any of Braden's years with the team.
Braden threw four pitches: acutter at 82 MPH, afastball at 86–88 MPH, aslurve at 72–79 MPH and achangeup at 72 MPH.[17]
In 2014, Braden joinedESPN as aBaseball Tonight analyst. The following season, he moved into the broadcast booth as acolor analyst on games.
Early in the 2016 season, Braden was moved to ESPN'sMonday Night Baseball booth following the network's dismissal ofCurt Schilling.[18] Braden was laid off with dozens of other ESPN employees on April 26, 2017.[19]
On July 14, 2017, Braden debuted onNBC Sports California as a new field-level analyst for the A's broadcasts. Since then, he has substituted forRay Fosse in the TV booth as acolor commentator.
In 2017, Braden started apodcast andFacebook Live show, "Starting 9," with co-host Jared Carrabis onBarstool Sports, which lasted until 2021. He also hosts a radio show on Barstool'sSiriusXM channel called "Dialed In with Dallas Braden."
In April 2022, he became co-host to Carrabis' new podcast "Baseball Is Dead" forDraftKings, and laterUnderdog Fantasy.
Braden was criticized for his actions on May 5, 2023, during a broadcast between the A's and theKansas City Royals. During the game, his broadcast partnerGlen Kuiper appeared to have said "nigger league museum" when referring to a visit the two had made earlier in the day to theNegro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) inKansas City.[20][21][22] Braden remained silent after the comment, later telling the media that "the nuances of live television mean that sometimes we, as broadcasters, miss some of what you, our audience, see and hear … In that moment, I missed the live comment, and I was not aware of it until the sixth inning when Glen Kuiper made an apology."[23][24]
Braden provided color commentary forDomingo Germán's perfect game for NBC Sports California on June 28, 2023.[25]
Braden helps give food and money for Charity Communities in Stockton. OnThanksgiving, he personally collects and distributes food for the needy. In 2011, theUniversity of the Pacific in Stockton gave Braden an Annual Community Service Award.[26]
In October 2015, theLos Rios Community College District honored Braden as a distinguished alumnus on behalf ofAmerican River College where he was a student and played baseball for two seasons.[27]
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Perfect game pitcher May 9, 2010 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | No-hitter pitcher May 9, 2010 | Succeeded by |
