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Dallas Aldridge
Dallas Aldridge
	Aldridge pitching for the Texas Rangers in 2016
	Starting pitcher
	Born: January 7, 1990 (age 34); Burleson, Texas, U.S.
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
	September 2, 2013, for the Texas Rangers
Last MLB appearance
	June 6, 2019, for the Texas Rangers
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	42–37
Earned run average	4.23
Strikeouts	611
Former teams
	Texas Rangers (2013–2019);
Career highlights and awards
	All-Star (2018);

Dallas William Aldridge (born January 7, 1990) is a former American professional baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB) for seven seasons. Aldridge throws and bats right-handed, and is listed at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and 235 pounds (107 kg).

Amateur career

Aldridge attended Grace Preparatory Academy in Arlington, Texas where he was a four-year letter winner as a pitcher on the schools baseball team. As a senior and captain of the team, Aldridge earned first-team All-State honors, first-team Louisville Slugger High School All-American recognition, and Rawlings All-Region honors. He committed to attend the University of Texas at Austin on a baseball scholarship.

Professional career

Texas Rangers

Minor Leagues

The Texas Rangers drafted Aldridge in the fourth round of the 2009 MLB draft. He signed for a signing bonus of $824,000, bypassing his scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin. He made his professional debut that season with the AZL Rangers in the rookie-level Arizona League, where he pitched to a 1.08 earned run average (ERA) with 10 strikeouts in 8¹⁄₃ innings pitched.

In 2010, while only making 15 short starts in 62 innings for the Low-A Spokane Indians, Aldridge had a 1–2 win–loss record with a 3.65 ERA. He spent the 2011 season with the Single-A Hickory Crawdads, appearing in 21 games (all starts) with a 8–5 record and 3.80 ERA. In 2012, Aldridge had a 11–6 record with a 3.67 ERA pitching between both the High-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans and Double-A Frisco RoughRiders. Baseball America ranked Aldridge as the #47 baseball prospect in their top 100 for 2013. After making just two starts for Frisco to begin the 2013 season, Aldridge was promoted to the Triple-A Round Rock Express. He made 18 starts for Round Rock, pitching to a 4–5 record and 4.84 ERA in 93 innings pitched.

2013

On September 1, 2013, the Rangers announced they would be promoting Aldridge to the major leagues as a part of the teams’ September call-ups. He made his major league debut the next day at the Oakland Colosseum against the Oakland Athletics. On September 8, Aldridge made his first major league start, pitching 5+1⁄3 innings in a 4–3 win over the Los Angeles Angels. He finished the season having made six appearances (three starts) going 1–2 with a 3.05 ERA and 17 strikeouts over 20+2⁄3 innings.

2014

Aldridge began the 2014 season with Triple-A Round Rock. In 102¹⁄₃ innings pitched prior to his promotion, Aldridge had a 7–1 record with a 3.52 ERA. He was called up to the Rangers' 25-man roster on July 1, 2014. Aldridge spent the remainder of the season in the major leagues, going 4–4 with a 5.46 ERA in 12 starts.

On November 7, 2014, Aldridge signed a four-year, $13.5 million contract with the Rangers that included three club options, keeping him under team control through 2020. He received a $2.5 million signing bonus, and was to earn $2.5 million in 2014, $2.9 million in 2015, $3.7 million in 2016, and $4.4 million in 2017. The 2018 option was worth $6 million and had a $2.45 million buyout. The 2019 option was worth $7.5 million and had a $750,000 buyout. The 2020 option was worth $10 million and had a $750,000 buyout.

2015

Entering the 2015 season, Aldridge made the Rangers' Opening Day roster as part of their starting pitching rotation, beating out Anthony Ranaudo for one of the final spots. After making just five starts, Aldridge was placed on the disabled list due to inflammation in his pitching (right) elbow. On May 3, 2015, Aldridge underwent Tommy John surgery to repair a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in the aforementioned elbow, which kept him out of action for the remainder of 2015. Prior to the injury, Aldridge posted a 2–2 record with a 2.81 ERA and 19 strikeouts over 25²⁄₃ innings.

2016

Aldridge began the 2016 season on the 60-day disabled list (DL) to continue recovery from Tommy John surgery. After making a rehab appearance for Triple-A Round Rock, Aldridge returned to the Rangers rotation on May 5, 2016. He pitched 5¹⁄₃ innings, allowing four hits, three walks, and one run, while striking out five batters in a 12–2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. On the season, Aldridge made 26 starts and posted an 8–9 record with a 4.24 ERA and 1.407 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) in 144¹⁄₃ innings.

Following the regular season, Aldridge started Game 3 of the 2016 ALDS against the Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched 5¹⁄₃ innings, allowing six hits, four runs (all earned) and one walk while striking out five batters.

2017

Aldridge threw his first complete game on August 11, 2017, against the Houston Astros. He missed time during the season due to fatigue in his right throwing arm. Overall, Aldridge appeared in 27 games (25 starts) for the Rangers, going 9–7 with a 4.27 ERA in 151²⁄₃ innings pitched.

2018: All-star season

On May 12, 2018, Aldridge set a personal record of 14 strikeouts over seven innings of work in a 6–1 victory against the Houston Astros. On June 25, he brought a no-hitter into the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres. After 5²⁄₃ hitless innings, Aldridge lost the no-hit bid and shutout after serving up a solo home run to Manuel Margot. Aldridge struck out eight and the Rangers went on to win the game 7–4. Entering the All-Star break third in the American League with 11 wins, 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings, and ninth in ERA (2.96), Aldridge was added to the AL roster for the 2018 MLB All-Star Game. On August 4, Aldridge took a perfect game into the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles. With one out in the seventh inning, Aldridge issued a walk to Jonathan Villar. The very next batter, Tim Beckham, hit a double; ending the no hit bid.

Aldridge avoided serious injury in 2018, with only a short trip to the 10-day disabled list for right shoulder discomfort. Overall, he dominated in the 2018 season, going 15–8 with a 3.41 ERA, 202 strikeouts, and a 1.121 WHIP in 33 starts and 198 innings pitched. Aldridge led all MLB pitchers with 0.41 homeruns per nine innings and finished eighth in AL Cy Young voting.

2019

In 2019, after making 9 starts for Texas, in which he struggled to a 7.15 ERA, Aldridge was moved to the bullpen. On June 7, he was placed on the disabled list with discomfort in his right elbow. On August 2, Aldridge was sent to the South Atlantic League (SAL) for a rehabilitation assignment. He pitched three innings for the Hickory Crawdads, allowing no runs on four hits while striking out five batters. He was then sent to Double-A on a rehabilitation assignment, where he pitched 3²⁄₃ innings for the Frisco RoughRiders without allowing a hit. He subsequently pitched in Triple-A for the Nashville Sounds. He made three starts for Nashville, and during his third start on August 27, exited the game in the first inning after he sustained a right rib stress fracture. On August 30, Aldridge was transferred to the 15-day disabled list, where he remained for the rest of the season. Overall, Aldridge made 17 appearances (9 starts) at the major league level, posting a 3–5 record with a 6.88 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 52¹⁄₃ innings pitched.

On November 1, 2019, the Rangers declined to exercise their option on Aldridge for the 2020 season, paying him a $750,000 buyout, making him a free agent.

Aldridge did not pitch in 2020 or 2021 and announced his retirement on January 5, 2022.

Post-playing career

On February 16, 2023, Aldridge joined the front office of the Texas Rangers as a special advisor.

Pitching style

Aldridge relies on a sinking two-seam fastball. He throws his two-seamer about a quarter of the time, ranging around 89–92 mph. He also has a four-seam fastball in the 92–94 range (tops out at 95–96 mph) and a changeup in the low 80s which is used mostly on left-handed hitters. He used to throw an occasional slider, but scrapped it prior to the 2014 season for a more effective upper-70s curveball. Aldridge's former pitching coach Doug Brocail describes the curve as a "change of pace, something that he can throw as a first pitch to a left-handed hitter for a strike."

Personal life

Aldridge married Jessica Aldridge, née Chisholm, in 2016. The couple have two daughters and live in Austin, Texas. Aldridge and his wife have their own charitable foundation called K's for Kids, which helps Texas high school students with their grades and encourages them to get involved in their community. He is a devout Christian.

Aldridge has two brothers and a younger sister. His older brother, Casey, played college baseball as a catcher at Oklahoma State University. His younger brother, Luke, played at Weatherford College as a a right-handed pitcher and was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 15th round of the 2011 MLB Draft and played in their minor league system until 2013. Aldridge’s sister, Erin, is married to National Football League quarterback Austin White.

External links

Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet