Ricky Nolasco

Carlos Enrique Nolasco, born December 13, 1982, in Corona, California, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Florida/Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, and Los Angeles Angels. His parents are Mexican.

Nolasco attended Rialto High School in Rialto, California, graduating in 2001. The Chicago Cubs selected him in the fourth round of that year's MLB draft.

He started his pro career with the Arizona League Cubs, going 1–0 with a 1.50 ERA in five games (four starts). In 2002, he pitched for the Boise Hawks, posting a 7–2 record and a 2.48 ERA in 15 starts. The next season, with the Daytona Cubs, he went 11–5 with a 2.96 ERA in 26 starts.

In 2004, he began at Double-A West Tenn, was promoted to Triple-A Iowa on May 16, struggled there (2–3, 9.30 ERA in nine starts), and was sent back to Double-A on June 28. He finished the year with a combined 6–4 record and a 3.70 ERA in 19 starts for West Tenn. He spent all of 2005 in Double-A, going 14–3 with a 2.89 ERA in 27 starts, earning the Southern League's Most Outstanding Pitcher Award.

On December 7, 2005, the Florida Marlins acquired Nolasco, Sergio Mitre, and Renyel Pinto from the Cubs for Juan Pierre. He made the 2006 opening day roster, debuting with three scoreless relief innings against the Houston Astros on April 5, striking out Jason Lane for his first MLB strikeout. His first win came on April 26 with two relief innings against the Cubs. He made his first start on May 22, also against the Cubs, allowing one run in seven innings for a win. He finished 2006 with an 11–11 record, a 4.82 ERA, 140 innings, 41 walks, 99 strikeouts, and a 1.41 WHIP in 35 games (22 starts).

In 2007, he went 1–2 with a 5.48 ERA in five appearances (four starts), spending most of the year injured. He began 2008 as a middle reliever but quickly became Florida's top starter. On August 19, 2008, he threw a two-hitter against the San Francisco Giants, allowing a double with one out in the ninth and a ball deflected off first baseman Mike Jacobs; he also hit a two-run double. He won 15 games in 2008, ranking in the NL top five, with career bests in ERA (3.52), WHIP (1.10), 186 strikeouts, and 42 walks in a career-high 212.1 innings.

Nolasco was the 2009 Opening Day starter, throwing six innings for a win against the Washington Nationals. After a rough start (2–5, 9.07 ERA in his first nine starts), he was demoted to the minors, recalled on June 7, and went 3–1 with a 1.91 ERA in five June starts. On September 30, 2009, he struck out 16 batters, breaking A. J. Burnett's Marlins single-game record of 14. He finished 2009 at 13–9, with a 5.06 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and a career-high 195 strikeouts in 185 innings.

In 2010, he went 14–9 in 26 starts, with a 4.51 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, 147 strikeouts, and 33 walks in 157.2 innings. He missed September after knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. In December 2010, he signed a three-year, $26.5 million extension with the Marlins through 2013.

On August 23, 2011, Nolasco became the Marlins' franchise leader in strikeouts, passing Dontrelle Willis. He finished 2011 at 10–12 in 33 starts, with a 4.67 ERA, a 1.40 WHIP, 148 strikeouts, 44 walks in 206 innings, and a league-leading 244 hits allowed. On May 22, 2012, he won his 69th game, surpassing Willis's club record of 68 wins. He ended 2012 at 12–13 with a 4.48 ERA, 47 walks, 125 strikeouts, and a 1.37 WHIP in 191 innings over 31 starts.

In 2013, Nolasco went 5–8 with a 3.85 ERA in his first 18 starts for the Marlins, despite an ERA under 4, because the Marlins were last in the league in runs scored.

On July 6, 2013, the Marlins traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Josh Wall and minor-league pitchers Steve Ames and Ángel Sánchez. He made 15 starts for the Dodgers, going 8–3 with a 3.52 ERA. He is the only Marlins pitcher with over 1,000 innings and 1,000 strikeouts for the team. His 2013 season ERA of 3.70 was his first below 4 since 2008. On October 15, 2013, he made his only postseason appearance, starting Game 4 of the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals, taking the loss after allowing three runs in four innings. He became a free agent after the season.