Valerio De Los Santos was a left-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for over a decade. He was born on October 6, 1972, in Las Matas de Farfán, Dominican Republic. De Los Santos began his professional baseball career in 1991 when he signed with the Milwaukee Brewers as an amateur free agent. He spent several years in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut with the Brewers in 1998.
De Los Santos played for several teams during his career, including the Brewers, the San Diego Padres, the Kansas City Royals, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the New York Mets. He was primarily used as a relief pitcher, although he did make some starts early in his career. De Los Santos was known for his fastball, which could reach speeds of up to 95 miles per hour, as well as his slider and changeup.
One of the highlights of De Los Santos' career came in 2001 when he was pitching for the Padres. He appeared in 68 games that season, which was a career-high for him, and posted a 2.70 earned run average (ERA). He also recorded his first and only save that year. De Los Santos was a reliable reliever for the Padres, and he helped them reach the playoffs that season.
De Los Santos' career was not without its challenges, however. In 2005, he was suspended for 10 days after testing positive for a banned substance. He later admitted to using steroids and apologized for his actions. De Los Santos' reputation took a hit as a result of the suspension, and he struggled to find work in the majors after that.
De Los Santos' last season in the majors was in 2008 when he pitched for the Mets. He appeared in 14 games that season and had a 5.40 ERA. After that, he played in the minor leagues for a few more years before retiring from baseball in 2011.
Overall, Valerio De Los Santos had a solid career as a left-handed reliever in MLB. He appeared in 385 games over the course of his career and had a 4.92 ERA. He struck out 383 batters and walked 225 in 518 innings pitched. While he may not have been a star player, De Los Santos was a valuable member of several teams and contributed to their success.
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