| Jeremy Hellickson | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Hellickson with theWashington Nationals in 2018 | |||||||||||||||
| Pitcher | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1987-04-08)April 8, 1987 (age 38) Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. | |||||||||||||||
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| August 2, 2010, for the Tampa Bay Rays | |||||||||||||||
| Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
| May 19, 2019, for the Washington Nationals | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Win–loss record | 76–75 | ||||||||||||||
| Earned run average | 4.13 | ||||||||||||||
| Strikeouts | 929 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Jeremy Robert Hellickson (born April 8, 1987) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theTampa Bay Rays,Arizona Diamondbacks,Philadelphia Phillies,Baltimore Orioles, andWashington Nationals. Following the 2011 season, Hellickson was namedAmerican LeagueRookie of the Year. In Tampa Bay, Hellickson was nicknamed "Hellboy" by local fans and media.[1]
Hellickson was born inDes Moines, Iowa and attendedHoover High School.[2]
Hellickson was drafted by Tampa Bay in the fourth round of the2005 Major League Baseball draft.Baseball America rated him as the 18th best prospect in all of baseball going into the 2010 season.[3] He was selected to play in the 2010All-Star Futures Game and was the starting pitcher for U.S. team.[4]
On August 2, 2010, Hellickson made his major league debut againstMinnesota Twins.[5] During his debut, he held the Twins to two runs over seven innings. He struck out six while walking two. He was optioned back to the Triple-ADurham Bulls after the start.[6] He was once again recalled to the majors on August 10 to take the spot ofWade Davis in the rotation. He made his second career start that day against theDetroit Tigers atComerica Park, earning his second career victory after pitching seven shutout innings with three hits, seven strikeouts and no walks as the Rays won 8–0.[7]
On August 21, 2010, Hellickson was optioned to the High-ACharlotte Stone Crabs to work on moving to the bullpen. He was recalled to Tampa Bay on September 1, and made his first appearance out of the bullpen on September 4, pitching 12⁄3 innings giving up 2 runs.
Hellickson began the 2011 season as the Rays fifth starter. On May 13, he threw his firstcomplete game, earning a 3–0 victory over theBaltimore Orioles.[8] Following the season, Hellickson earned the 2011 American LeagueMLB Rookie of the Year Award.[9] He was named the Rays third starter for the 2012 season and pitched 82⁄3 shutout innings against theNew York Yankees on April 8, 2012.
Hellickson was the losing pitcher inFélix Hernández's perfect game on August 15, 2012. He still had aquality start in the game, allowing one run and five hits over seven innings to theSeattle Mariners.[10]
Hellickson was optioned to Charlotte on August 27. He was recalled from the Double-AMontgomery Biscuits on September 3 after the major league rosters expanded. He did not pitch for either minor league team.[11]
He was named co-winner with Jake Peavy, then with the Chicago White Sox, of the American League Rawlings Gold Glove for 2012.
On November 14, 2014, the Rays traded Hellickson to the Arizona Diamondbacks forAndrew Velazquez andJustin Williams.[12] He signed a one-year deal worth $4.275 million on January 16, 2015, and avoided arbitration.[13] In 27 starts, he finished 9–12 with an ERA of 4.62 in 146 innings.
On November 14, 2015, Hellickson was traded to thePhiladelphia Phillies for minor league pitcherSam McWilliams.[14] On January 15, 2016, Hellickson signed a one-year deal for $7 million avoiding arbitration.[15] Hellickson started for the Phillies onOpening Day.[16] The Phillies extended Hellickson a qualifying offer worth $17.2 million for the 2017 season, which he accepted.[17]
On April 3, 2017, Hellickson was the starting pitcher against theCincinnati Reds on Opening Day. He hit his first-career triple, the first pitcher to hit a triple in the season opener sinceSan Francisco Giants'Jack Sanford in 1963.[18] He pitched five innings earning the win, allowing one run and six hits. He left early because of running the triple.[19]
On July 28, 2017, the Phillies traded Hellickson to theBaltimore Orioles forHyun-soo Kim andGarrett Cleavinger.[20]
In his first start as an Oriole, Hellickson threw seven shutout innings against the Royals, striking out three batters while earning the win in a 6–0 victory. Despite that hot start, Hellickson struggled down the stretch, posting a 5.43 ERA over 30 starts over the course of the season. For the 2017 season, between the two teams he led the majors in giving up the mosthome runs per nine innings (1.92).[21] He became a free agent following the conclusion of the season.[22]
On March 17, 2018, Hellickson signed a minor league contract with theWashington Nationals that included an invitation tomajor league spring training.[23] His contract was selected on April 16 for a start against theNew York Mets atCiti Field. In his Nationals debut, Hellickson worked into the fifth inning while giving up two runs, taking a no-decision as his team rallied in the eighth inning to win 8–6.[24] He earned his first Nationals win on May 8, 2018, atPETCO Park, taking aperfect game bid into the seventh inning and allowing no runs in the two-hit outing, striking out eightSan Diego Padres in the process.[25] He began his tenure with Washington going 2–0 with a 2.28 ERA before landing on the disabled list with a hamstring strain.[26] He ended the season with a 5–3 record in91+1⁄3 innings.
On February 8, 2019, Hellickson re-signed with the Nationals, inking a one-year, $1.3 million contract with up to $4 million in incentives.[27] In 9 appearances (8 starts) Hellickson went 2–3 with a 6.23 ERA before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. The Nationals finished the 2019 year with a 93–69 record, clinching a wild card spot, and eventually went on to win the2019 World Series over theHouston Astros, their first championship in franchise history. Although Hellickson did not participate in any postseason action, he won his first World Series championship.[28]
Hellickson retired from baseball on February 14, 2020, after experiencing a shoulder setback prior to spring training.[29]
Hellickson and his wife Natalie reside inWest Des Moines, Iowa.[31][32]
