Jerry Blevins is a former American professional baseball player who played as a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for over a decade. He was born on September 6, 1983, in Johnson City, Tennessee, and attended the University of Dayton, where he played college baseball for the Dayton Flyers.
Blevins began his professional baseball career in 2004 when he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 17th round of the MLB draft. He spent several years in the Cubs' minor league system before making his MLB debut in 2007. However, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics in 2007, where he spent the majority of his career.
During his time with the Athletics, Blevins established himself as a reliable left-handed relief pitcher. He was known for his ability to get left-handed batters out, and he was often used in situational matchups. Blevins had a career-best season in 2013 when he posted a 3.15 earned run average (ERA) in 67 appearances.
In 2014, Blevins was traded to the Washington Nationals, where he continued to pitch out of the bullpen. He had a solid season in 2016, posting a 2.79 ERA in 73 appearances. However, he suffered a fractured arm in 2017 after being hit by a line drive, which caused him to miss the majority of the season.
Blevins signed with the New York Mets in 2018, where he spent two seasons. He struggled in his first season with the Mets, posting a 4.85 ERA in 64 appearances. However, he bounced back in 2019, posting a 3.90 ERA in 45 appearances.
Overall, Blevins had a successful career as a left-handed relief pitcher in MLB. He finished his career with a 30-13 record, a 3.54 ERA, and 471 strikeouts in 532 innings pitched. He was known for his ability to get left-handed batters out, and he was often used in situational matchups. Blevins was also known for his durability, as he appeared in over 60 games in six different seasons.
In conclusion, Jerry Blevins had a successful career as a left-handed relief pitcher in MLB. He spent over a decade in the league, playing for several different teams, and was known for his ability to get left-handed batters out. Despite suffering a fractured arm in 2017, Blevins bounced back and continued to pitch at a high level until his retirement in 2020.
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