David Aardsma is a former American professional baseball player who played as a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for various teams. He was born on December 27, 1981, in Denver, Colorado, and attended Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, Colorado.
Aardsma began his baseball career in college, playing for Penn State University. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 MLB draft by the San Francisco Giants and made his MLB debut in 2004.
Over the course of his career, Aardsma played for several teams, including the Giants, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, New York Mets, and Atlanta Braves. He was primarily used as a relief pitcher and had a career record of 16-18 with a 4.27 earned run average (ERA) and 340 strikeouts in 331 innings pitched.
Aardsma's best season came in 2009 when he was the closer for the Mariners. He recorded 38 saves and had a 2.52 ERA, earning him a spot on the American League All-Star team.
Injuries plagued Aardsma's career, and he missed significant time due to Tommy John surgery in 2011 and hip surgery in 2013. He also struggled with control issues throughout his career, leading to high walk rates and a high number of home runs allowed.
Aardsma played his last MLB game in 2015 for the Braves and spent the next few years playing in the minor leagues and independent leagues. He officially retired from baseball in 2018 and has since become a pitching coordinator for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Overall, David Aardsma had a solid career as a relief pitcher in MLB, with his best season coming in 2009. Injuries and control issues limited his effectiveness at times, but he was able to play for several teams over the course of his career.
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