Jared Hughes is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for several teams during his career. He was born on July 4, 1985, in Stamford, Connecticut, and attended Long Beach State University, where he played college baseball for the Long Beach State Dirtbags.
Hughes was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fourth round of the 2006 MLB draft and made his major league debut with the team in 2011. He spent four seasons with the Pirates, where he became known for his sinkerball, which induced many ground balls and double plays.
In 2016, Hughes signed with the Milwaukee Brewers as a free agent and spent two seasons with the team. He then signed with the Cincinnati Reds in 2018 and played for them for one season before being released in 2019.
Hughes then signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019 but was released before the start of the season. He then signed with the Cincinnati Reds again and played for them for the remainder of the 2019 season.
In 2020, Hughes signed with the Houston Astros but was released before the start of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He then signed with the New York Mets and played for them for the remainder of the season.
Throughout his career, Hughes was known for his ability to induce ground balls and his durability as a relief pitcher. He finished his career with a 29-24 record, a 2.96 ERA, and 350 strikeouts in 524 innings pitched.
Off the field, Hughes was known for his charitable work, including his involvement with the Pirates' "Wins for Kids" program, which raised money for children's charities. He was also involved with the "Players for the Planet" initiative, which promotes environmental sustainability in sports.
In January 2021, Hughes announced his retirement from baseball after 10 seasons in the major leagues. He stated that he was looking forward to spending more time with his family and pursuing other interests outside of baseball.
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