Armando Galarraga
Detroit Tigers — No. 58
Starting pitcher
Born: January 15, 1982 (1982-01-15) (age 27) Cumaná, Venezuela
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 15, 2007 for the Texas Rangers
Career statistics (through 2009 season)
Win–Loss	19–17
Earned run average	4.62
Strikeouts	227
Teams
Texas Rangers (2007) Detroit Tigers (2008–present)

Armando Antonio Galarraga (born January 15, 1982, in Cumaná, Venezuela) is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. Galarraga made his Major League Baseball debut with the Texas Rangers on September 15, 2007.

Galarraga originally signed as a free agent with the Montreal Expos on October 31, 1998. He was acquired by the Rangers from the Washington Nationals as part of the deal that sent Alfonso Soriano to the Nationals in 2005.

[edit] Detroit Tigers

On February 5, 2008, Galarraga was traded to the Detroit Tigers for Michael Hernandez, an outfielder that had spent the last season playing for the AA Erie Seawolves.^[1] As a minor league call up for the injured Dontrelle Willis, Galarraga earned his first career win April 16, 2008 in a 13–2 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

On June 13, 2008 Galarraga pitched seven innings in a 5–0 shutout victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers, the first of his career, and first of the season for the Tigers.

Galarraga finished the 2008 campaign with a 13–7 record, a 3.73 ERA, and 126 strikeouts in 178⅔ innings.^[2] Additionally, he placed fifth in AL rookie of the year balloting.^[3] When batters did hit the ball against him, they only managed a .237 batting average on balls in play, the lowest in the major leagues.^[4] Galarraga threw sliders 38.9% of the time in 2008, more than any other starting pitcher in the majors.^[5]

On April 10, 2009, Galarraga pitched the home opener at Comerica Park. Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Galarraga deserved to pitch Opening Day after having an impressive 2008 season. The Tigers won the game 15–2, which included a grand slam by Miguel Cabrera.

On April 29, 2009, prior to a game against the New York Yankees, Galarraga received his 2008 Tigers Rookie of the Year award from the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)