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Seth Lugo

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Seth Lugo
Lugo with the New York Mets in 2022
Kansas City Royals – No. 67
Pitcher
Born: (1989-11-17) November 17, 1989 (age 34)
Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 1, 2016, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record56–40
Earned run average3.38
Strikeouts829
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Puerto Rico
World Baseball Classic
Silver medal – second place 2017 Los Angeles National team

Jacob Seth Lugo (born November 17, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Mets and San Diego Padres. Lugo made his MLB debut in 2016 with the Mets. He played for the Puerto Rican national baseball team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, winning a silver medal.

Career

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Amateur career

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Lugo attended Parkway High School in Bossier City, Louisiana,[1] and Centenary College of Louisiana, where he played college baseball for the Centenary Gentlemen. In three seasons with Centenary, Lugo had a 5.31 earned run average (ERA).[2]

Minor leagues

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The New York Mets selected him in the 34th round, with the 1,032nd overall selection, of the 2011 MLB draft.[2] He signed with the Mets, receiving a $20,000 signing bonus.[3]

Lugo missed the 2012 season due to spondylolisthesis, which required spinal fusion surgery.[4] After the procedure he was bedridden at his mother's home for three months. He returned to pitch in 2013 for the Brooklyn Cyclones of the Class A-Short Season New York–Penn League and the Savannah Sand Gnats of the Class A South Atlantic League, pitching to a 4–6 win–loss record with a 3.39 ERA in 12 games started.[5] He pitched for the St. Lucie Mets of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League in 2014, and for the Binghamton Mets of the Class AA Eastern League and Las Vegas 51s of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in 2015. The Mets added him to their 40-man roster after the 2015 season.[6]

Lugo with the Mets in 2016

Lugo began the 2016 season with AAA Las Vegas.[7]

New York Mets

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The Mets promoted Lugo to the major leagues on June 30.[7] Lugo made his Major League debut against the Chicago Cubs on July 1, 2016, throwing two shutout innings in a victory.[8] On August 25, Lugo recorded his first major league win and hit, throwing five shutout innings against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium before exiting with muscle cramps.[9] Following that, Lugo became a key cog in the Mets' injury-riddled rotation, pitching to a 2.67 ERA throughout the season and finishing with a 5–2 record. Lugo would have been the second or third starter for New York in the postseason had the Mets advanced past the Wild-Card Game.

Lugo chose to honor his paternal grandfather, who was Puerto Rican, by playing for the Puerto Rican national baseball team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He was the starting pitcher against Venezuela in the first round and against United States in both the second round and the Championship Game. He won both the first and second-round games.[10] In the Championship Game, Lugo did not have the same luck on the mound as Puerto Rico lost, 8–0.

Entering the 2017 season, Lugo was expected to provide depth the Mets' pitching staff. After injuries to other starters, Lugo found himself battling with Robert Gsellman for the final spot in the Opening Day starting rotation. However, Lugo himself would be diagnosed with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching arm after competing for Puerto Rico in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. The injury would cause him to miss the first two months of the regular season.[11] He returned to make his first start of the season for the Mets on June 11, 2017, against the Atlanta Braves, getting the win after pitching seven innings of one-run ball. On Saturday July 15, 2017, Lugo hit his first major league home run against the Colorado Rockies. On August 15, Lugo was again placed on the disabled list with an impingement in his pitching shoulder.[11] He returned on August 27, pitching 3+2⁄3 innings with 5 strikeouts in a pitch-limited start.[12] He continued making shorter starts throughout September, finishing the season with a 7-5 record and an ERA of 4.71, with 85 strikeouts and 25 walks over 101+1⁄3 innings pitched.[13]

Lugo performed very well the following season, posting a 2.66 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 54 games. He was once again effective in 2019, his first season in which he was exclusively a relief pitcher, posting a 2.70 ERA while striking out 104 batters and walking only 16 in 80 innings. Lugo struggled during the 2020 season, registering a 5.15 ERA and 3-4 record with 47 strikeouts in 36.2 innings of work.[14]

On May 17, 2021, Lugo was placed on the 60-day injured list after undergoing right elbow surgery.[15] He was activated on May 31.[16]

On April 29, 2022, Lugo pitched in relief in a combined no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies, recording the last two outs of the top of the eighth inning.[17]

San Diego Padres

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On December 22, 2022, Lugo signed a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres, containing a player option for the 2024 season.[18] Following the 2023 season, Lugo opted out of his deal, making him a free agent.

Kansas City Royals

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On December 14, 2023, Lugo signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Kansas City Royals.[19] In 2024, he was named to the All-Star team after having a stellar first half of the season in which he led the MLB in innings pitched (122), tied for the MLB lead in wins (11), and led all qualified American League pitchers in ERA (2.21).[20][21][22][23] On July 21, 2024, Lugo threw his first career complete game; in 9 innings, he struck out 6 batters and allowed 3 hits, no walks, and one earned run in a 4-1 win over the Chicago White Sox.[24]

References

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  1. ^ Hedges, Russell. "Former Parkway pitcher Seth Lugo a step away from major leagues". Bossier Press. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  2. ^ a b Wagner, James (July 2, 2016). "After 34 Rounds, Then Five Years, Seth Lugo Makes the Most of Two Innings". The New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  3. ^ Guilbeau, Glenn (February 25, 2017). "Shreveport's Seth Lugo is Mets' Sidd Finch — no fooling". USA Today. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  4. ^ "The unlikely story of Seth Lugo: The Mets pitcher who turned into major league prospect (VIDEO)". NJ.com. May 6, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  5. ^ Rubin, Adam (August 24, 2016). "Seth Lugo, once bedridden for three months after spinal surgery, pitching in for injury-riddled Mets". ESPN. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
  6. ^ "Mets protect four players from Rule 5 Draft". MLB.com. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Mets to promote righty Seth Lugo from Triple-A Las Vegas". ESPN.com. June 30, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  8. ^ "Ex-Parkway, Centenary standout makes MLB debut". Shreveport Times. July 1, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  9. ^ Ackert, Kristie (August 25, 2016). "Lugo leaves with injury as Mets hold on for win over Cardinals". New York Daily News. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  10. ^ Thornburg, Chad (February 8, 2017). "Young stars join Beltran, Yadi for Puerto Rico". MLB.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2017. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  11. ^ a b Harper, John (August 16, 2017). "Mets place Seth Lugo on 10-day DL, activate Robert Gsellman". Daily News. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  12. ^ Carig, Marc (August 28, 2017). "Mets' Seth Lugo looks sharp early on, then is pulled in fourth". Newsday. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  13. ^ "Seth Lugo 2017 Pitching Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  14. ^ "2020 Mets Report Card: Seth Lugo, RHP | Metsmerized Online". October 5, 2020.
  15. ^ "Mets Place Michael Conforto, Jeff McNeil on Injured List". May 17, 2021.
  16. ^ "Mets Make Several Roster Moves". May 31, 2021.
  17. ^ DiComo, Anthony (April 29, 2022). "Mets toss '22's first no-no, down Phillies". MLB.com. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  18. ^ "Padres finalize deal with curveball maestro Lugo". MLB.com.
  19. ^ "Lugo brings 'special gift' to Royals' rotation". MLB.com. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  20. ^ "Complete All-Star Game rosters include familiar faces, 32 first-timers". MLB.com. July 7, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  21. ^ "Most Innings Pitched By A Player In The 2024 Season Before July 8, 2024". StatMuse. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  22. ^ "Most Wins By A Player In The 2024 Season Before July 8, 2024". StatMuse. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  23. ^ "Lowest ERA In The 2024 Season By An American League Pitcher Before July 8, 2024, Minimum 88 Innings Pitched". StatMuse. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  24. ^ "Royals 4-1 White Sox (Jul 21, 2024) Final Score". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Seth Lugo.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by No-hitter pitcher
April 29, 2022
(with Tylor Megill, Drew Smith, Joely Rodríguez & Edwin Díaz) 		Succeeded by
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