| Matt Festa | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Festa with the Arkansas Travelers | |
| Cleveland Guardians – No. 52 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1993-03-11)March 11, 1993 (age 32) Brooklyn,New York, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 14, 2018, for the Seattle Mariners | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 13–7 |
| Earned run average | 4.45 |
| Strikeouts | 182 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| |
Matthew Joseph Festa (born March 11, 1993) is an American professionalbaseballpitcher for theCleveland Guardians ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for theSeattle Mariners,New York Mets, andTexas Rangers. He has also played for theItaly national baseball team.
Festa was born inBrooklyn, New York, and raised in theBulls Head andGreat Kills sections ofStaten Island, New York. He grew up a fan of theNew York Yankees. He graduated fromSt. Joseph by the Sea High School in 2011.[1]
He enrolled atDominican College, where he playedcollege baseball for the Chargers for one year, and transferred toEast Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, where he pitched for theEast Stroudsburg Warriors for three years. He majored in business management.[1] Festa was an All-America selection at ESU in 2016.[2]
TheSeattle Mariners selected the right hander in the seventh round, with the 207th overall selection of the2016 Major League Baseball draft.[3][4] He was the highestdraft pick in East Stroudsburg University program history.[2]
In 2016, Festa pitched for theEverett AquaSox of theLow-ANorthwest League,[5] posting a 6–2win–loss record with a 3.73earned run average (ERA) in 14 games (eight starts). Festa pitched for theModesto Nuts of theHigh-ACalifornia League in 2017, where he went 4–2 with a 3.23 ERA with 99strikeouts in69+2⁄3innings pitched,[6] and appeared in the league's all-star game.[7] In 2018, the Mariners invited Festa tospring training.[8] He began the regular season with theArkansas Travelers of theDouble-ATexas League, and the Mariners promoted him to the major leagues on July 14.[9] He made his major league debut that day.[10]
Festa made the Mariners'Opening Day roster in 2019.[11] Festa was sent down to theTacoma Rainiers of theTriple-APacific Coast League multiple times during the season, ending his 2019 season with just 20 appearances for Seattle. On February 3, 2020, Festa wasdesignated for assignment and outrighted to Tacoma on February 10. On March 5, Festa underwentTommy John surgery, ending his 2020 season before it began.[12] He returned to action in August 2021 for Tacoma, and pitched21+1⁄3 innings of 2.95 ERA ball for the team, also appearing in four rehab games with the High-AEverett AquaSox andAZL Mariners.[13]
The Mariners invited Festa to spring training as a non-roster player in 2022. Starting in the 2022 season, Festa decided to go by his full first name of Matthew instead of his abbreviated name Matt.[14] On April 7, the Mariners selected Festa's contract, adding him to their Opening Day roster.[15] On July 17, Festa earned his first careersave, striking out the side in the 10th inning to protect a one-run lead over theTexas Rangers.[16] In 8 appearances for Seattle, he posted a 4.00 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 9.0 innings of work. On August 8, Festa wasdesignated for assignment by the Mariners.[17] He was released by the team the same day.[18]
On January 26, 2024, Festa signed a minor league contract with theSan Diego Padres.[19] In 16 games for the Triple–AEl Paso Chihuahuas, he posted a 4.50 ERA with 16 strikeouts across 16 innings pitched. On May 16, Festa was released by the Padres organization.[20]
On May 19, 2024, Festa signed a minor league contract with theNew York Mets.[21] In 11 appearances for the Triple–ASyracuse Mets, he recorded a 1.76 ERA with 19 strikeouts across15+1⁄3 innings of work. On June 30, the Mets selected Festa's contract, adding him to the active roster.[22] He entered the rain-delayed June 30 game against theHouston Astros when it was tied 5-5 in the top of the 11th inning and gave up five runs (four earned) in a 10-5 loss.[23][24] Festa was designated for assignment on July 3.[25] He cleared waivers and elected free agency on July 5.[26]
On July 8, 2024, Festa signed a minor league contract with theTexas Rangers.[27] In four appearances for the Triple–ARound Rock Express, he recorded a 1.42 ERA with six strikeouts across6+1⁄3 innings pitched. Festa was released by the Rangers organization on August 1.[28] On August 6, he re–signed with the Rangers on a new minor league contract.[29] On August 11, the Rangers selected Festa's contract, adding him to their active roster.[30] In 18 appearances for Texas, he logged a 6-0 record and 4.37 ERA with 23 strikeouts across22+2⁄3 innings pitched. The Rangers designated Festa for assignment on January 6, 2025.[31]
On January 9, 2025, Festa was traded to theChicago Cubs in exchange for cash considerations.[32] He was designated for assignment following the acquisition ofRyan Pressly on January 28.[33] Festa cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple-AIowa Cubs on February 3.[34] On February 5, Festa signed a minor league contract to return to the Rangers organization.[35] He made nine scoreless appearances for Round Rock, posting a 2-0 record with 20 strikeouts and one save over14+2⁄3 innings pitched.
On April 30, 2025, Festa was traded to theCleveland Guardians in exchange for cash considerations.[36] On May 2, the Guardians selected Festa's contract, adding him to their active roster.[37]
In November 2022, Festa committed to play forTeam Italy in the2023 World Baseball Classic inMiami.[citation needed]
Festa is married toFox News reporter Danamarie McNicholl.[citation needed]