Ricky Nolasco

Lore & Background

Born Carlos Enrique Nolasco on December 13, 1982, in Corona, California to Mexican parents. He attended Rialto High School in Rialto, California, graduating in 2001. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2001 MLB draft by the Chicago Cubs. He began his professional career in the Rookie-level Arizona League. The Florida Marlins acquired Nolasco, Sergio Mitre, and Renyel Pinto from the Cubs for Juan Pierre on December 7, 2005. He made his MLB debut on April 5, 2006, with 3 scoreless innings of relief against the Houston Astros. He became the Marlins franchise leader in strikeouts on August 23, 2011, overtaking Dontrelle Willis. On May 22, 2012, he won his 69th game, overtaking Willis' club record of 68 wins with the Marlins. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 6, 2013. He later played for the Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Angels. He signed minor-league contracts with the Kansas City Royals in 2018 and the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2019, but did not return to the majors.

In Their Own Story

The sun hung low over Biscayne Bay, painting the new Marlins Park in shades of amber and gold. Nolasco stood in the dugout, chewing sunflower seeds, watching the Phillies warm up in the outfield. The July Fourth crowd was a sea of red, white, and blue, the kind of noise that makes a pitcher's ears ring before he's even thrown a pitch.

He stepped onto the mound for the first time that night and felt the clay shift under his cleats. The crowd roared. He roared back, pointing at the stands, daring them to be louder. And they were. But every time he set his foot on the rubber, the world went quiet for him. Sinker. Fastball. Sinker. The Phillies swung and missed, ground into double plays, popped up to the shortstop. In the seventh, the count went 3-2 to a lefty, and Nolasco felt the whole stadium holding its breath. He threw the fastball. Called strike three. The crowd's gasp was louder than the cheers had been all night.

Ninth inning. Two outs. The last batter stepped in. Nolasco looked at the catcher, shook his head, and pointed to the corner. The ball left his hand like a bullet threaded through the hot air. The catcher caught it. The umpire's arms went up. And Marlins Park, for the first time in its young life, erupted in a sound that would echo in every fan's memory for years to come.

Reader's Guide

Ricky Nolasco pitched for the Florida/Miami Marlins from 2006 through part of 2013. He was acquired via trade from the Chicago Cubs, not as a free agent. He pitched a two-hitter on August 19, 2008, against the San Francisco Giants, not a no-hitter. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the 2013 trade deadline, not the Chicago White Sox. His tenure with Miami lasted over seven seasons, not parts of two.

Did You Know?

• Nolasco goes by the first name 'Ricky' because his father named him after his favorite Dodger, Rick Monday.
• He struck out 16 batters on September 30, 2009, breaking A. J. Burnett's record for most strikeouts in a single game for the Florida Marlins.
• Nolasco is the only Marlins pitcher to have both over 1,000 innings pitched and 1,000 strikeouts.
• He was named the Southern League's Most Outstanding Pitcher Award winner in 2005.