David Riske is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for several teams during his career. He was born on October 23, 1976, in Renton, Washington, and attended Lindbergh High School in Renton. Riske was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 56th round of the 1996 MLB draft, but he did not sign with the team. Instead, he attended Green River Community College in Auburn, Washington, where he played baseball for two years.
In 1997, Riske was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 56th round of the MLB draft, and he signed with the team. He spent several years in the Red Sox minor league system before making his MLB debut on April 3, 1999. Riske pitched in 10 games for the Red Sox that season, posting a 1-0 record with a 3.86 ERA.
Riske was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 2001, and he spent the next four seasons with the team. He was primarily used as a relief pitcher during his time with the Indians, and he had some success in that role. In 2003, Riske had a 2.29 ERA in 77 appearances, and he recorded his first career save. He also pitched in the postseason for the first time that year, appearing in three games in the American League Division Series.
After the 2004 season, Riske became a free agent and signed with the Boston Red Sox. He spent one season with the team, pitching in 32 games and posting a 3.16 ERA. Riske then signed with the Kansas City Royals in 2006, and he spent two seasons with the team. He was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008, and he pitched for the Brewers for one season.
Riske's final season in the MLB was in 2010, when he pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He appeared in 23 games for the team, posting a 5.31 ERA. Riske became a free agent after the season, but he did not sign with another team.
Overall, Riske had a solid career as a relief pitcher in the MLB. He pitched in 570 games over 11 seasons, posting a 32-39 record with a 3.67 ERA. He recorded 27 saves and struck out 497 batters in 630 innings pitched. While he was never a star player, Riske was a reliable pitcher who was able to contribute to several teams throughout his career.
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