| Derek Lowe | |
|---|---|
 Lowe with the Atlanta Braves in 2009 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1973-06-01)June 1, 1973 (age 52) Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 26, 1997, for the Seattle Mariners | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| May 19, 2013, for the Texas Rangers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 176–157 |
| Earned run average | 4.03 |
| Strikeouts | 1,722 |
| Saves | 86 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Derek Christopher Lowe (born June 1, 1973) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. During his career, he played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theSeattle Mariners,Boston Red Sox,Los Angeles Dodgers,Atlanta Braves,Cleveland Indians,New York Yankees, andTexas Rangers.
Lowe made his MLB debut in 1997 with Seattle. With the Red Sox, he was anAll-Star in 2000 and 2002 and threw ano-hitter in 2002. In the2004 postseason, he had a 3–0win–loss record as he helped Boston win its firstWorld Series championship in 86 years.
Lowe attendedEdsel Ford High School inDearborn, Michigan, where he was a four-sportletterman in baseball, golf, soccer, and basketball. He was an All-League honoree in all four sports and was a first-team All-State in basketball. Lowe committed to attendEastern Michigan University on abasketball scholarship.[1][2]
TheSeattle Marinersdrafted Lowe in the eighth round of the1991 MLB draft. He signed with the Mariners on June 7, 1991, forgoing his college scholarship.[1] The Mariners immediately assigned him to their rookie league team, where he went 5–3 with a 2.41earned run average (ERA) in 12 starts.
He spent the next several years advancing through the minor leagues, pitching for the Class A Short SeasonBellingham Mariners in 1992, Single-ARiverside Pilots in 1993, then spending two years in Double-A, with theJacksonville Suns in 1994 andPort City Roosters in 1995. He pitched for Port City the Triple-ATacoma Rainiers in 1996. He was a starting pitcher in the minors. He also pitched in the Arizona Fall League in 1993.Baseball America ranked him as a top 100 prospect in 1993 and 1994.[3][2]
Lowe made his major league debut on April 26,1997, working3+2⁄3 innings inrelief against theToronto Blue Jays. He made his first major league start on May 27 against theMinnesota Twins, giving up fourruns in five innings. His first careerwin came on June 6 against theDetroit Tigers, pitching5+1⁄3 innings and giving up 3 runs in the Mariners' 6–3 victory.[4]
Seattle, however, was desperate for immediatebullpen help[5] and traded Lowe andcatcherJason Varitek to theBoston Red Sox for relieverHeathcliff Slocumb.[6][7][1][8] The trade on July 31, orchestrated by Mariners' general managerWoody Woodward, is considered one of the worst trades in franchise history.[9][10][11]
Lowe compiled a 5–15 record over his first two seasons, during which he split time starting and relieving, but came into his own in 1999 after being transferred into thecloser's role, finishing the season with 15saves and a 2.63 ERA.[1]
Lowe had his best season as a closer in 2000 when he led theAmerican League (AL) with 42 saves, to go along with a 2.56 ERA.[1] Despite recording 24 saves early in the 2001 season, Lowe lost the closer's job soon after the trading deadline when the Red Sox acquiredUgueth Urbina.[1] Lowe was left in limbo, demoted to various setup jobs in the bullpen. Instead he asked managerJoe Kerrigan to return him to the starting rotation; Kerrigan agreed, and Lowe pitched 16 innings as a starter before the end of the season.[1] The following year, 2002, was Lowe's coming out party as a starter, as he posted a 21–8 record to go with a 2.58 ERA, finishing third inCy Young Award voting behindBarry Zito and Lowe's teammatePedro Martínez. Loweno-hit theTampa Bay Devil Rays atFenway Park on April 27 that year, becoming the first pitcher to do so at Fenway Park sinceDave Morehead in 1965. Lowe faced just one batter over the minimum in the game; only a third inning walk toBrent Abernathy separated Lowe from aperfect game. Additionally, Lowe was the starting pitcher for the AL in theAll-Star Game that year.
Lowe posted a 17–7 record despite a 4.47 ERA in 2003. He recorded an improbable save in the deciding Game 5 of the2003 AL Division Series (ALDS), entering the game with a one-run lead andOakland Athletics runners on first and second base with none out. He ended the game with a sacrifice bunt and two strikeouts, allowing one walk.[12]
In 2004, Lowe finished 14–12 with a 5.42 ERA in 33 starts. During thepostseason, he rebounded with a 3–0 record and 1.86 ERA in four games, three of them starts. He was the winner in the final game of all three postseason series—theALDS against theAnaheim Angels (pitching in relief), theAL Championship Series against theNew York Yankees, and theWorld Series against theSt. Louis Cardinals. In the World Series, he threw shutout ball for 7 innings in Game 4, to defeatJason Marquis, as the Red Sox won their first championship in 86 years.[13][14]
On January 11, 2005, Lowe signed a four-year, $36 million contract with theLos Angeles Dodgers.[15] Despite his signing with a new team, Lowe wore a Red Sox uniform during the team'sWorld Series ring ceremony on April 11, 2005, after already making a start for the Dodgers.[16]
On August 31, Lowe pitched an unusual one-hitter. After giving up a leadoffsingle to the Cubs'Jerry Hairston Jr., Lowe did not allow another Chicago hit, picking up a one-hit, two-walk, 7–0complete game victory while facing only 29 batters.
Lowe tied for the most wins in the National League (NL) in 2006, with 16.[17]
After being the opening day starter for the Dodgers for the last three years, in 2008 he was moved second in therotation, behindBrad Penny. ManagerJoe Torre chose Lowe to start Game 1 of theNL Championship Series against thePhiladelphia Phillies on October 9. Lowe opened the game with five scoreless innings before allowing 3 runs in the sixth inning, taking the loss.[18][19]
Hall of FamerGreg Maddux was twice traded during a season in his 23-year career, both times to the Dodgers: first in 2006, then in his final season in 2008. Each time Maddux joined the Dodgers, Lowe performed better afterwards. Lowe indicated that Maddux helped him considerably; Maddux was often seen sitting next to him in the dugout, as Lowe was able to learn from the master hurler.[20]
Lowe agreed to a four-year, $60 million deal with theAtlanta Braves during the 2008–09 offseason.[21] He was named the team's Opening Day starter.[22] Lowe beat the Phillies 4–1 on Opening Night, going 8 innings and giving up just 2 hits and 0 runs.[23]
In 2010, Lowe was one of only two active players, along withLiván Hernández, to have played 12 or more seasons without going on thedisabled list.[24]
Despite having a mediocre season until August, Lowe was exceptional in September 2010, with a 5–0 record, a 1.77 ERA, 29 strikeouts while walking only three batters, which helped the Braves secure a playoff berth as the NLWild Card, one game ahead of theSan Diego Padres at the end of the regular season. For this, Lowe was namedNL Pitcher of the Month.[25] Lowe lost Games 1 and 4 of theNL Division Series.[26]
On August 31, 2011, Lowe hit his first home run (in 425 at-bats) offJohn Lannan of theWashington Nationals.[27]
Following the 2011 season, the Braves traded Lowe to theCleveland Indians for minor league left-handed relief pitcher Chris Jones. The Braves paid $10 million of Lowe's $15 million salary for the 2012 season.[28] On May 15, in a road game versus theMinnesota Twins, Lowe recorded his first shutout in seven years and also pitched a complete game in a 5–0 win, improving his season pitching record to 6–1. Lowe did not record a strikeout in the shutout, becoming the first pitcher to do so since 2002.[29]
The Indians designated Lowe for assignment on August 1 to make room forCorey Kluber. Lowe was 8–10 with a 5.52 ERA in 21 starts and 119 innings pitched.[30] Cleveland released Lowe on August 10.[31]
On August 12, 2012, Lowe signed with theNew York Yankees.[32] In his Yankees debut on August 13, he pitched four scoreless innings in relief, recording his first regular season save since 2001.[33] Lowe had a 3.04 ERA in 17 appearances, earning him a spot on the team's postseason roster. The Yankees defeated theBaltimore Orioles in theALDS[34] but lost to theDetroit Tigers in theALCS. In his final postseason, Lowe allowed 3 runs in two innings in three relief appearances.[26] He became a free agent after the season ended.
On March 6, 2013, Lowe signed a minor league contract with theTexas Rangers.[35] He made the team's major league roster and was with the Rangers on opening day.[36] He wasdesignated for assignment on May 20.[37][38]
On June 9, 2013, sportswriterNick Cafardo reported that Lowe appeared to have retired. According to Cafardo, Lowe told his agent,Scott Boras, not to approach any teams to gauge their interest.[39] Lowe officially announced his retirement July 18.[40]
Lowe was eligible to be elected into theHall of Fame in2019 but received no votes, thus dropping off of future ballots.[41]
Lowe was asinkerball pitcher, throwing the pitch over 60% of the time. He also threw afastball,curveball, and aslider.[42][43]
Lowe has advocated for various causes to fight cancer. Himself a survivor ofsquamous cell carcinoma,[44] Lowe has worked with the Melanoma Foundation of New England,[45] the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention,[46] and the Prostate Cancer Foundation.[47] Lowe was diagnosed withattention deficit disorder and received permission to treat it withAdderall, a substance normally banned by Major League Baseball, but with exceptions allowed on a case-by-case basis.[48]
Lowe was charged with fourth-degreedomestic violence byKing County police in 1997 after his girlfriend claimed that he struck her. Lowe was released on $1,000bond the next day, whereupon he allegedly violated a no-contact order by returning to her home shortly thereafter.[49] Lowe entered counseling as a result.[50]
Carolyn Hughes, who covered the Dodgers forFox Sports West, was suspended pending an investigation into a potential relationship between her and Lowe during his tenure with the Dodgers. Shortly thereafter, Lowe filed for divorce from Trinka Lowe, his wife of seven years. They had three children together.[51] Hughes's husband also filed for divorce. In the aftermath, Hughes ended her broadcasting career, and she and Lowe continued their relationship. They were married on December 13, 2008 atThe Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan.[52]
On April 28, 2011, Lowe was arrested and charged withdriving under the influence,reckless driving, and improper lane change afterdrag racing down an Atlanta street. The trooper who stopped him detected an odor of alcohol and administered a field sobriety test, which resulted in Lowe's arrest. Lowe declined to take a breath test and was released after posting bail. The driver of the other vehicle was not charged and was released.[53] On May 26, Atlanta Solicitor-General Raines Carter dismissed the DUI and reckless driving charges, and Lowe entered anolo contendere (no contest) plea to violating basic motor vehicle rules.[54]
Lowe finished second toMark Mulder in the July 2017American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament.[55]
Lowe won the January 2022LPGA Tournament of Champions Celebrity Division tournament, defeatingAnnika Sörenstam in a playoff after both scored 138 points.[56]
· Baseball Almanac| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | No-hitter pitcher April 27, 2002 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American LeagueAll-Star Game Starting Pitcher 2002 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Los Angeles DodgersOpening Day Starting pitcher 2005–2007 | Succeeded by |
