Marc Rzepczynski is a former professional baseball player who played as a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for nine seasons. He was born on August 8, 1985, in Oak Lawn, Illinois, and attended the University of California, Riverside, where he played college baseball for the Highlanders.
Rzepczynski was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth round of the 2007 MLB draft and made his MLB debut on April 8, 2009, against the Detroit Tigers. He spent the majority of his rookie season in the bullpen, appearing in 43 games and finishing with a 3.67 ERA.
In 2010, Rzepczynski became a key member of the Blue Jays' bullpen, appearing in 64 games and finishing with a 3.67 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. He was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in July 2011 and played a crucial role in their World Series championship run that year. He appeared in 27 games for the Cardinals that season, finishing with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP.
Rzepczynski continued to pitch for the Cardinals in 2012 and 2013, but his performance declined, and he was traded to the Cleveland Indians in July 2013. He spent the next two seasons with the Indians, appearing in 73 games and finishing with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP.
In December 2015, Rzepczynski signed a two-year contract with the Oakland Athletics. He appeared in 56 games for the Athletics in 2016, finishing with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. He was traded to the Washington Nationals in August 2016 and appeared in 9 games for them, finishing with a 1.54 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP.
Rzepczynski signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners in February 2017 and made the team's opening day roster. He appeared in 64 games for the Mariners that season, finishing with a 4.02 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. He was released by the Mariners in August 2018 and signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians, but he did not appear in any games for them.
Overall, Rzepczynski appeared in 588 games in his MLB career, finishing with a 3.89 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. He was primarily used as a left-handed specialist, facing left-handed batters in 70% of his plate appearances. He was known for his ability to induce ground balls, finishing with a career ground ball rate of 60.5%.
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