Matt Whiteside is a former professional baseball player who played as a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. He was born on August 8, 1967, in Charleston, West Virginia, and attended the University of Charleston, where he played college baseball.
Whiteside began his professional career in 1990 when he was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 21st round of the MLB draft. He spent several years in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut with the Rangers in 1992. He played for the Rangers for three seasons, primarily as a relief pitcher, before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1995.
Whiteside played for the Pirates for two seasons before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1997. He spent one season with the Phillies before being traded to the Atlanta Braves in 1998. He played for the Braves for two seasons before being traded back to the Rangers in 2000.
Whiteside played for the Rangers for two more seasons before being traded to the Yokohama BayStars in Japan in 2002. He played one season in Japan before returning to the United States to play for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2003. He played for the Brewers for one season before being released and signing with the Kansas City Royals in 2004. He played for the Royals for one season before retiring from professional baseball in 2005.
Throughout his career, Whiteside primarily played as a relief pitcher, although he did make a few starts. He had a career record of 31-34 with a 5.02 earned run average (ERA) and 364 strikeouts in 540 innings pitched. He was known for his sinkerball, which induced many ground balls and double plays.
After retiring from baseball, Whiteside became a high school baseball coach in Texas. He also worked as a color commentator for the Rangers' radio broadcasts. In 2015, he was inducted into the University of Charleston Athletic Hall of Fame.
Overall, Matt Whiteside had a solid career as a relief pitcher in MLB, playing for several teams over the course of his career. He was known for his sinkerball and ability to induce ground balls and double plays. After retiring from baseball, he became a coach and broadcaster, and was later inducted into his alma mater's athletic hall of fame.
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