Jesse Chavez is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for several teams during his career. He was born on August 21, 1983, in Riverside, California, and attended Riverside Polytechnic High School. After high school, Chavez was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 42nd round of the 2002 MLB draft but did not sign. He instead attended Riverside Community College and later transferred to the University of California, Riverside.
Chavez was eventually drafted by the Rangers in the 42nd round of the 2003 MLB draft and signed with the team. He spent several years in the Rangers' minor league system before making his MLB debut with the team in 2008. Chavez struggled in his first few seasons in the majors, bouncing between the Rangers and several other teams.
In 2012, Chavez was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays, where he found more success. He spent two seasons with the Blue Jays, primarily as a relief pitcher, before being traded to the Oakland Athletics in 2014. Chavez had a career year with the Athletics in 2014, posting a 3.45 ERA in 146 innings pitched.
Chavez continued to pitch for several teams over the next few years, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, and Texas Rangers. He primarily served as a relief pitcher during this time, although he did make some starts as well.
In 2019, Chavez signed with the Texas Rangers for a second stint with the team. He had a solid season, posting a 4.85 ERA in 78 innings pitched. However, he struggled in 2020, posting a 6.88 ERA in 17.1 innings pitched.
Chavez became a free agent after the 2020 season and signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He made the team's Opening Day roster in 2021 but struggled in his first few appearances. He was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks in April 2021 and later released.
Overall, Chavez had a solid career as a journeyman pitcher in the MLB. He pitched for several teams over the course of his career and primarily served as a relief pitcher. While he had some ups and downs, he was able to carve out a successful career in the majors.
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