Joaquin Benoit is a former professional baseball pitcher who played for several teams during his career. He was born on July 26, 1977, in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Benoit began his professional career in 1996 when he signed with the Texas Rangers as an amateur free agent. He spent several years in the minor leagues before making his major league debut in 2001.
Benoit played for the Texas Rangers from 2001 to 2008, primarily as a relief pitcher. He had a solid career with the Rangers, posting a 3.84 ERA and 1.28 WHIP over 384 innings pitched. In 2009, Benoit signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as a free agent. He had a breakout season with the Rays, posting a 1.34 ERA and 0.68 WHIP over 63.2 innings pitched. He was a key member of the Rays' bullpen that season, helping the team reach the World Series.
After his successful season with the Rays, Benoit signed with the Detroit Tigers as a free agent in 2010. He spent three seasons with the Tigers, primarily as a setup man for closer Jose Valverde. Benoit had a solid career with the Tigers, posting a 3.68 ERA and 1.17 WHIP over 189 innings pitched. He was also a key member of the Tigers' bullpen during their run to the World Series in 2012.
In 2014, Benoit signed with the San Diego Padres as a free agent. He spent two seasons with the Padres, primarily as a closer. He had a solid career with the Padres, posting a 2.35 ERA and 0.93 WHIP over 82 innings pitched. In 2016, Benoit was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. He struggled with the Blue Jays, posting a 5.18 ERA and 1.44 WHIP over 23.2 innings pitched.
Benoit finished his career with the Washington Nationals in 2017. He struggled with the Nationals, posting a 5.18 ERA and 1.44 WHIP over 23.2 innings pitched. He announced his retirement from baseball in January 2018.
Overall, Joaquin Benoit had a solid career as a relief pitcher in the major leagues. He posted a 3.83 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over 764.2 innings pitched. He was a key member of several teams' bullpens during his career, helping them reach the playoffs and even the World Series.
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