| Travis Wood | |
|---|---|
 Wood pitching with theChicago Cubs in 2016 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1987-02-06)February 6, 1987 (age 38) Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 1, 2010, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 25, 2017, for the San Diego Padres | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 47–59 |
| Earned run average | 4.26 |
| Strikeouts | 801 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Travis Alan Wood (born February 6, 1987) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theCincinnati Reds,Chicago Cubs,Kansas City Royals, andSan Diego Padres.
Born and raised inLittle Rock, Arkansas, Wood attendedBryant High School where he starred inbaseball andfootball. At the Babe Ruth World Series, Wood tossed a no-hitter, striking out 17, and at Bryant, Wood received All-State honors in each of his three seasons at the school. During his junior season, Wood also led Bryant to a state championship, and was Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005.[1]
TheCincinnati Reds selected Wood 60th overall in the2005 Major League Baseball draft out ofBryant High School. He chose not to attend college and went straight to professional baseball.[citation needed] Wood's first season as a professional was split between the Reds'Rookie Class teams, theGulf Coast League Reds and theBillings Mustangs. He went a combined 2–0 with a 1.29 ERA in 14 games, including 11 starts. Wood held batters to a .166 batting average, struck out 67, and pitched47+2⁄3 innings, including17+2⁄3 scoreless over his first six appearances.
Wood spent all of 2006 with the Class-ADayton Dragons. He started 27 games and compiled a 10–5 record and a 3.66 ERA. Wood fanned 133 batters and held opponents to a .215 batting average. He was namedMidwest League Pitcher of the Week for May 15–21, going 2–0 in 10.1 innings, striking out 13, and allowing one earned. Wood allowed only two runs in 26 innings pitched, while striking out 14 in his final four starts of the season.
Wood was placed on the disabled list on July 10 and stayed there until September 14. In 12 starts for theSarasota Reds of theClass A-AdvancedFlorida State League, he went 3–2 with a 4.86 ERA. In 46.1 innings, Wood allowed 49 hits and 27 walks, striking out 54, and opponents batted .268 off him. Wood began the 2008 season in Sarasota, and went 3–4 with a 2.70 ERA in nine starts. He held batters to a .222 average while with the team. He earned Pitcher of the Week of theFlorida State League for the week of 4/28-5/4, going 2–0 with a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings over the stretch, allowing two runs and striking out nine. Wood earned a promotion to theChattanooga Lookouts of theClass AASouthern League on May 25. He struggled in 17 starts, going 4–9 with a 7.09 ERA. In 80 innings, Wood allowed 91 hits, 67 runs (63 earned), nine home runs, walked 48 and fanned 58.
Wood started the 2009 season with theCarolina Mudcats, the Reds new Southern League affiliate. That time around, he improved drastically over his previous season in Double-A. Wood pitched 119 innings over 19 starts, going 9–3 with a 1.21 ERA. Allowing just 16 earned runs on 78 hits and 37 walks, he also stuck out 103 batters and hitters batted only .189 off the lefty. Earning a call-up to theLouisville Bats of theClass AAAInternational League, Wood went 4–2 in 48.2 innings for the Bats. He allowed 43 hits over eight starts, walking 16 and striking out 32. The Reds added Wood to their40-man roster after the 2009 season to protect him from theRule 5 Draft.[2] Wood was one of the last players cut from the Reds' roster inSpring Training, and was one of many competing for the Reds' fifth starter spot. In a crowded race featuring veteransMike Lincoln andJustin Lehr, young armsMicah Owings andMatt Maloney, and prospectsSam LeCure,Aroldis Chapman, andMike Leake, Wood came down to the last two but was cut in favor of Leake. He started the season in Louisville.
On June 30, Wood was called up from Triple-ALouisville replacingDaniel Ray Herrera on the Reds active roster[3] Wood made his major league debut on July 1, 2010, versus theChicago Cubs atWrigley Field, getting ano decision in an eventual 3–2 Reds victory.
In his third career start, versus thePhiladelphia Phillies atCitizens Bank Park on July 10, 2010, Wood flirted with aperfect game, pitching eight flawless innings before surrendering adouble to PhilliescatcherCarlos Ruiz in the bottom of the ninth inning. Regardless, Wood actually could not have finished the perfect game in the ninth inning, because Phillies aceRoy Halladay, who himself had thrown a perfect game earlier in the 2010 season, also was pitching a shutout through nine innings. Wood exited after nine innings of one-hit ball, and the Reds would later lose the game 1–0 in 11 innings, with Ruiz scoring the winning run. Wood hit his first careerhome run on September 4, 2010, offSt. Louis Cardinals'Adam Wainwright. Wood finished the 2010 season 5–4 with a 3.51 ERA in 17 starts.
Wood went 6–6 with a 4.84 ERA in 22 games (18 starts) during the 2011 season.
On December 21, 2011, Wood was traded to theChicago Cubs, along with outfielderDave Sappelt and a minor league second basemanRonald Torreyes in exchange for left-handed relieverSean Marshall.[4] Wood was called up to the major league club in early May 2012 afterChris Volstad was demoted to Iowa because of his 0–6 start. Wood went 6–13 with a 4.27 ERA in his first year as a Cub.
On May 19, 2013, Wood became the first Cub sinceMordecai Brown to start a season with 9 straight quality starts. On May 30, 2013, Wood hit his first careergrand slam off ofJake Peavy in an 8–3 victory over theChicago White Sox. On July 6, 2013, Wood was named to his first All-Star selection.
In 2014, Wood hit his 9th career homerun off ofSt. Louis Cardinals pitcherAdam Wainwright. Wood struggled in 2014, with a 5.03 ERA in 31 starts. After struggling in the rotation to start the 2015 season, Wood was moved to the bullpen. Wood fared much better as a reliever, posting a 2.95 ERA and 4 saves in relief. Overall, he finished the season with a 3.84 ERA in 54 games (9 starts). Working out of the bullpen in 2016, Wood posted a 4–0 record with a 2.95 ERA in 77 appearances. In Game 2 of theNLDS, Wood hit a home run off ofGiants' relieverGeorge Kontos. He became the second relief pitcher to homer in a postseason game, afterRosy Ryan in Game 3 of the1924 World Series. Wood won aWorld Series ring with the Cubs. He became a free agent following the 2016 season.
On February 15, 2017, Wood signed a two-year, $12 million contract with theKansas City Royals. The contract includes a mutual option for the 2019 season.[5] Wood competed in spring training for a rotation spot but was ultimately moved to the bullpen to begin the season. At the beginning of July, Wood was moved to the starting rotation. Wood's overall numbers for the Royals were disappointing, sporting a career worst 6.91 ERA in 31 total appearances for the Royals.
On July 24, 2017, the Royals traded Wood,Matt Strahm, andEsteury Ruiz to theSan Diego Padres forTrevor Cahill,Ryan Buchter, andBrandon Maurer.[6] Wood was designated for assignment by the Padres on December 17, 2017,[7] and released on December 20.[8]
On January 29, 2018, Wood signed a minor league contract with theDetroit Tigers.[9] However, Wood tore hisACL in spring training and the Tigers released him on March 8.[10]
Wood has an expansive pitch repertoire, throwing six pitches with regularity. He has three fastballs — afour-seamer at 89–92 mph, atwo-seamer at 88–91, and acutter at 87–90. He also throws twobreaking balls — aslider (80–83) and acurveball (71–75) – and, finally, achangeup at 78–81. Wood's pitches to left-handed hitters are most often four-seamers, cutters, and sliders, with an occasional curveball. To right-handers, he throws the four-seamer, two-seamer, cutter, and changeup.[11]
Wood and his wife, Brittany, reside inAlexander, Arkansas with their daughter and son.[12]
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