Brad Brach

Brad Brach (/brɑːk/ brahk;[1] born April 12, 1986) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs. Brach was an All-Star in 2016.

Brad Brach
Brach with the Baltimore Orioles in 2014
New York Mets – No. 29
Pitcher
Born: (1986-04-12) April 12, 1986
Freehold Township, New Jersey
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 31, 2011, for the San Diego Padres
MLB statistics
(through August 15, 2020)
Win–loss record36–27
Earned run average3.33
Strikeouts546
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Amateur career

Brach grew up in Freehold Township, New Jersey, where he attended Freehold Township High School.[2] Brach grew up a New York Mets fan.[3] He enrolled at Monmouth University and played college baseball as a starting pitcher for the Monmouth Hawks through his senior year. In 2007, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[4] As of 2011 he still held the school record for career wins and strikeouts.[5] In 2016, he was inducted into Monmouth's athletics hall of fame.[6]

Professional career

San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres selected Brach in the 42nd round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft; he was signed by the Padres' Northeast Scouting Director, Jim Bretz.[5] Brach spent 2009 with the Class-A Fort Wayne TinCaps and 2010 with the Class-A Advanced Lake Elsinore Storm pitching in relief. He was named the California League's Pitcher of the Year for 2010 after posting a 2.47 ERA and saving a league record 41 games in 62 appearances.[7] Brach began 2011 with the Double-A San Antonio Missions and was promoted to the Triple-A Tucson Padres in July. Between the two clubs he posted a 2.89 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 71​2⁄3 innings.

Brach pitching for the San Diego Padres in 2012

Brach was called up to the Major Leagues for the first time on August 31, 2011,[7] working 1​1⁄3 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He stayed with the Padres through September, appearing in eight more games and finishing with a 5.14 ERA and 11 strikeouts.

Brach made the Padres' 2012 Opening Day roster, replacing an injured Tim Stauffer.[8] He was optioned to Triple-A Tucson on April 16 after five relief appearances, but was recalled on May 4.[9] He was optioned to Tucson again on June 28 to make room on the roster when Andrew Cashner returned as a starter, but was recalled on July 4 when Cashner was placed on the disabled list.[10] Brach remained with the Padres through the rest of 2012, posting a 3.78 ERA in 67 total appearances and striking out 75 against 33 walks in 66​2⁄3 innings.

Brach was designated for assignment by the Padres on November 20, 2013.[11]

Baltimore Orioles

Brach was traded to the Baltimore Orioles on November 25, 2013 in exchange for minor league RHP Devin Jones.[12][13]

Brach had a solid year in his first season with the Orioles, as he appeared in 46 regular season games with a 3.18 ERA. He struck out 54 batters, having a 7.8 K/9 ratio. Brach recorded his first ever win in the MLB Playoffs on October 3, 2014 against the Detroit Tigers.[14] In 2015, Brach appeared in 62 games out of the bullpen, throwing 79​1⁄3 innings, pitching to a 2.72 ERA and a 5-3 record. He held opponents to a .203 average and had 10.1 K/9.

In 2016, Brach was named to his first career All-Star game, along with fellow Orioles pitcher, Zach Britton. (Manny Machado, Matt Wieters, and Mark Trumbo were also selected from the Orioles).[15] Through the first half of the 2016 campaign, Brach posted a 6-1 record, 0.91 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP to accompany 58 strikeouts and 15 walks in 49​1⁄3 innings.[14] He led all Major League relievers in WAR at the break. Despite struggling in the second half, Brach finished the season making 71 appearances, throwing 79 innings, striking out a career-high 92 batters while picking up a career-high ten wins, 24 Holds, two saves and pitched to a 2.05 ERA. He tossed 1​1⁄3 innings and struck out two batters in the Orioles Wild Card game loss.

Brach opened the 2017 as the Orioles eighth inning, setup man. He assumed the role of closer early on in the season after teammate Zach Britton was placed on the DL. On April 19, 20 & 21, Brach earned saves in consecutive games. He became the fourth pitcher in Orioles history to record perfect saves in three consecutive days. On the season, Brach ended with a 3.18 ERA in 67 games while recording 18 saves. The following season, he assumed the closer role while Britton recovered from an offseason injury. Brach struggled through the first half, posting an ERA of 4.85 in 42 games with 11 saves.

Atlanta Braves

On July 29, 2018, Brach was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for international signing bonus slot money.[16] Down the stretch, Brach owned an ERA of 1.52 in 27 appearances for the Braves.

Chicago Cubs

On February 11, 2019, Brach signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Chicago Cubs. The deal included a mutual option for 2020.[17] He struggled through inconsistency and control through 42 games, posting a career worst 6.13 ERA while walking batters at a 6.4 rate which was a career high. On August 3, 2019, the Cubs designated him for assignment.[18] On August 6, 2019, the Cubs officially released Brach.[19]

New York Mets

Brach signed with the New York Mets on August 9, 2019.[20] He finished the 2019 season going 1–1 with a 3.68 ERA over 14.2 innings for the Mets. Brach re-signed on a one-year contract with the Mets worth $850,000 with a player option for the 2021 season worth $1.25 million on December 6, 2019.[21]

Pitching style

Brach throws mostly two pitches: a four-seam fastball at 90-94 mph and a slider at 80-85. Occasionally, he adds a splitter to lefties.[22][23]

Personal life

Brach lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, singer-songwriter Jenae Cherry, who was raised in Wonder Lake, Illinois.[24] The two married in November 2013.[25][26] The couple's eldest daughter was born in December 2017.[27] Their twin sons were born in July 2020.[28] Brach's younger brother, Brett also pitched for Monmouth and was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 10th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft.[29] He played minor league baseball until 2014, and retired from baseball in 2015, after playing in the Atlantic League.[30]

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References
  1. Karpovich, Todd. "Folkemer, Paul. "Orioles Option Evan Meek, Recall Brad Brach for Bullpen Help," ''PressBox Baltimore'', Friday, May 2, 2014". Pressboxonline.com. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  2. Staff. "Brach's no-hitter paces Hawks' win" Archived July 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Atlanticville, April 19, 2007. Accessed April 4, 2013.
  3. O'Brien, Owen (August 12, 2019). "Mets' Brach gets shot of confidence in a big spot". Newsday. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  4. "Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League" (PDF). capecodbaseball.org. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  5. Brock, Corey (September 15, 2011). "Brach Beat Long Odds to Reach Padres Bullpen: Rookie Righthander Was Selected in 42nd Round of 2008 Draft". MLB.com. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
  6. "Brad Brach (2016) - Hall of Fame". Monmouth University Athletics. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  7. Center, Bill (August 31, 2011). "Pregame Preview: Plunging Padres end trip in L.A." The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  8. "Padres place Tim Stauffer on DL". ESPN.com. Associated Press. April 5, 2012. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015.
  9. "Padres recall RHP Brad Brach from Triple-A Tucson". Padres Press Release. MLB.com. May 4, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  10. "Padres place RHP Andrew Cashner on 15-day DL, recall RHP Brad Brach from Triple-A Tucson". Padres Press Release. MLB.com. July 4, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  11. Sanders, Jeff (November 20, 2013). "Three pitchers added to 40-man roster". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved July 28, 2020. Republished by the Daily Press and Chicago Tribune
  12. "San Diego Padres acquire minor league pitcher Devin Jones from Orioles for Brad Brach". MLB.com. November 25, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  13. "O's acquire Brad Brach from Padres". Associated Press. November 25, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  14. "Brad Brach Stats, News, Pictures, Bio, Videos - Chicago Cubs - ESPN". Espn.go.com. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  15. Castrovince, Anthony (May 24, 2018). "2016 MLB All-Star Game rosters announced | MLB.com". M.mlb.com. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  16. Park, Do-Hyoung (July 29, 2018). "Braves land righty reliever Brach from O's". MLB.com. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  17. Bastian, Jordan (February 11, 2019). "Cubs, reliever Brach complete deal". MLB.com. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  18. Bastian, Jordan (August 3, 2019). "Cubs DFA Brach to make room for Hamels". MLB.com. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  19. Cohen, Jay (August 6, 2019). "Cubs roster takes a pair of hits". Columbia Daily Herald. Associated Press. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  20. DiComo, Anthony; Langs, Sarah (August 9, 2019). "Brach joins Mets, says 'the fit's really good here'". MLB.com. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  21. Abriano, Danny (December 6, 2019). "Mets sign free agent reliever Brad Brach". SNY. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  22. "PITCHf/x Player Card: Brad Brach". BrooksBaseball.net. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  23. Hayes, Reggie (September 8, 2009). "Brach relishes role as cleanup guy". News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne, IN). Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  24. Hammond, Sean (May 26, 2019). "Wonder Lake native Jenae Brach living out 'surreal' season as husband Brad pitches for Cubs". Northwest Herald. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  25. "Cherry and Brach". Planit Northwest. Archived from the original on August 12, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  26. Connolly, Dan (May 20, 2015). "Brad Brach's wife Jenae Cherry releases song on iTunes". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  27. Encina, Eduardo A. (March 22, 2018). "For Orioles Brach and wife Jenae, time in Baltimore has been a 'dream come true'". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved July 28, 2020. Alternative URL
  28. "Ozuna homers off Díaz, Braves beat Mets in new extras format". ESPN.com. Associated Press. July 25, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  29. Morris, Tim (July 1, 2009). "Brett Brach signs with Cleveland Indians". Courier News. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  30. Ashmore, Mike (July 11, 2015). "Brach knew it was time to hang up his cleats for good". Courier News. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
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