Cincinnati Reds

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Lore & Background

Wood's path to the majors began when the Reds selected him 60th overall in the 2005 draft out of Bryant High School in Arkansas. He bypassed college and turned professional immediately. In his first professional season, split between the Gulf Coast League Reds and the Billings Mustangs, Wood went a combined 2–0 with a 1.29 ERA in 14 games, including 11 starts. He held batters to a .166 batting average and struck out 67 over 47+2⁄3 innings, including 17+2⁄3 scoreless innings over his first six appearances. By 2006, with the Class-A Dayton Dragons, he started 27 games and compiled a 10–5 record with a 3.66 ERA, fanning 133 batters. He was named Midwest League Pitcher of the Week for May 15–21 after going 2–0 in 10.1 innings with 13 strikeouts and one earned run allowed. He earned Pitcher of the Week honors for the week of 4/28-5/4 after going 2–0 with a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings. A promotion to Double-A Chattanooga followed, where he struggled to a 7.09 ERA in 17 starts. In 2009, back in Double-A with the Carolina Mudcats, Wood improved drastically, going 9–3 with a 1.21 ERA over 19 starts, allowing just 16 earned runs on 78 hits and 37 walks while striking out 103. He earned a call-up to Triple-A Louisville, where he went 4–2 in 48.2 innings. The Reds added Wood to their 40-man roster after the 2009 season to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. He was one of the last players cut from the Reds' roster in Spring Training 2010, competing for the fifth starter spot against veterans and prospects including Mike Leake, who ultimately won the job. Wood started the season in Louisville before being called up on June 30, 2010.

In Their Own Story

Wood made his major league debut on July 1, 2010, against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, earning a no decision in an eventual 3–2 Reds victory. In his third career start, on July 10, 2010, versus the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, Wood flirted with a perfect game, pitching eight flawless innings before surrendering a double to Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz in the bottom of the ninth inning. Wood exited after nine innings of one-hit ball, and the Reds lost 1–0 in 11 innings, with Ruiz scoring the winning run. Wood hit his first career home run on September 4, 2010, off St. Louis Cardinals' Adam Wainwright. He finished the 2010 season 5–4 with a 3.51 ERA in 17 starts. In 2011, Wood went 6–6 with a 4.84 ERA in 22 games (18 starts). On December 21, 2011, the Reds traded Wood, along with outfielder Dave Sappelt and minor league second baseman Ronald Torreyes, to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for left-handed reliever Sean Marshall. With the Cubs, Wood was called up in early May 2012 after Chris Volstad was demoted. He went 6–13 with a 4.27 ERA in his first year as a Cub. On May 19, 2013, Wood became the first Cub since Mordecai Brown to start a season with nine straight quality starts. On May 30, 2013, he hit his first career grand slam off Jake Peavy in an 8–3 victory over the Chicago White Sox. On July 6, 2013, Wood was named to his first All-Star selection. In 2014, he hit his ninth career home run off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright. After struggling in the rotation to start the 2015 season, Wood was moved to the bullpen, where he posted a 2.95 ERA and four saves in relief. Overall, he finished the 2015 season with a 3.84 ERA in 54 games (9 starts). Working out of the bullpen in 2016, Wood posted a 4–0 record with a 2.95 ERA in 77 appearances. In Game 2 of the NLDS, he hit a home run off Giants reliever George Kontos, becoming the second relief pitcher to homer in a postseason game, after Rosy Ryan in Game 3 of the 1924 World Series. Wood won a World Series ring with the Cubs in 2016. He became a free agent following the 2016 season.

Did You Know?

• Wood was selected by the Reds 60th overall in the 2005 MLB draft out of Bryant High School and chose not to attend college.
• In his third career start, on July 10, 2010, Wood pitched eight perfect innings before surrendering a double to Carlos Ruiz in the ninth.
• Wood hit his first career home run on September 4, 2010, off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright.
• On May 19, 2013, Wood became the first Cub since Mordecai Brown to start a season with nine straight quality starts.
• In Game 2 of the 2016 NLDS, Wood hit a home run off Giants reliever George Kontos, becoming only the second relief pitcher to homer in a postseason game.