Karl Jon Best (born March 6, 1959 in Aberdeen, Washington) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners (1983-1986) and Minnesota Twins (1988). Best was drafted by the Mariners in the 12th round of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft and made his major league debut on August 19, 1983, with the Mariners. He traded to the Detroit Tigers for Bryan Kelly in June 1987 while inactive, then was sent to the Twins in exchange for Don Schulze just before the 1988 season began. Two months after appearing in what would be his final major league game, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants in August 1988 for Alan Cockrell but never pitched an inning for them.

Best made his longest outing in a game against the Twins on August 14, 1986, at the Kingdome. He pitched 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing only a double and two walks while striking out three. The Mariners lost that game 14-1 after starter Mark Langston gave up nine runs (two of them unearned) on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings.

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube

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