Yovani Gallardo

Career

Gallardo attended Green B. Trimble Technical High School in Fort Worth, Texas, and committed to Texas Christian University on a college baseball scholarship. The Milwaukee Brewers selected him in the second round of the 2004 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed with the Brewers instead of enrolling at TCU. While pitching for the Brevard County Manatees of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League, he threw a no-hitter for 8 1/3 innings before surrendering a triple on June 9, finishing the game with 11 strikeouts.

Milwaukee Brewers

Splitting time between Brevard County and the Huntsville Stars of the Class AA Southern League, he led all minor league pitchers with 188 strikeouts in 155 innings, the most in a single season by a Milwaukee Brewers prospect; his Double-A line included 13 starts and a 1.63 earned run average. He began the 2007 season with the Nashville Sounds of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. On June 14, the Brewers announced his call-up to replace starter Chris Capuano, who was placed on the disabled list with a strained left groin.

Gallardo made his major league debut against the San Francisco Giants on June 18, yielding 3 earned runs in 6 1/3 innings for the win, with three walks and four strikeouts; in his first at-bat, he hit an RBI double. In his second career start on June 24, he had a no-hitter into the 5th inning but took a no-decision when the bullpen blew the lead in the 8th. After three relief appearances, he returned to the starting rotation on July 17 when ace Ben Sheets went on the 15-day disabled list with a right distal finger sprain.

Gallardo started the 2008 season on the disabled list, placed on the 15-day DL on March 21 with a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee. Upon his return on April 20, he compiled a 1.80 ERA in twenty innings over three games. During his start on May 1, he jumped to avoid a diving Chicago Cubs player, Reed Johnson, and landed awkwardly, bending his right knee extensively in the 5th inning; he continued through the 6th but was later diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

He was placed on the 15-day disabled list and was not activated until September 24. Gallardo was the starting pitcher in game 1 of the NLDS on October 1, 2008, against the Philadelphia Phillies, taking the loss to Cole Hamels. In 2009, his first start was on April 8 against the Giants, lasting 6 2/3 innings, giving up only 2 runs and striking out 6 en route to getting the win; he hit a three-run home run off of Randy Johnson, becoming the only pitcher to ever hit a home run off of Johnson.

He pitched his first career complete game on April 24 against the Houston Astros, allowing only two runs on five hits, striking out seven. In his next start against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Gallardo pitched 8 shutout innings and hit a home run in the 7th, the only run of the game, becoming only the 26th pitcher in major league history to win a game 1–0 while hitting a home run, and joining Red Ruffing and Early Wynn as the only ones to do so while striking out 10 or more batters (Gallardo struck out 11, also a career high).

He tossed a 2-hitter on Memorial Day against the St. Louis Cardinals, striking out 6 batters including Albert Pujols. He struck out 9 on May 31 against the Cincinnati Reds. Gallardo pitched another 2-hitter on June 5, shutting out the Atlanta Braves 4–0 with six strikeouts. He started 30 games for the Brewers in 2009, with a record of 13–12 with a 3.73 ERA, and struck out 204 batters over 185 innings pitched, becoming only the 4th Brewer pitcher to strike out 200+ batters.

On April 7, 2010, the Brewers signed Gallardo to a five-year, $30.1 million contract extension through the 2014 season, with a $13 million option for 2015. He pitched his first career complete-game shutout on May 28 at Miller Park against the New York Mets, outdueling Mets ace Johan Santana 2–0. Gallardo was selected to his first All-Star game in 2010, but just after he was elected, he got injured. On August 27, 2010, Gallardo was robbed at gunpoint at a Milwaukee supermarket; he and clubhouse attendant Alex Sanchez handed over jewelry and money to the robbers, and Sanchez was struck on the head with the butt of the gun.

Gallardo went 14–7 with a 3.84 ERA and 200 strikeouts in 185 innings pitched in 2010, plus two complete-game shutouts, and batted .254 with 4 home runs, 10 RBIs, and a .504 slugging percentage, earning the National League Silver Slugger award as the best hitting pitcher. In 2011, he was named the opening day starter for the second straight year after a rib injury placed Zack Greinke on the DL. On April 5, his second start of the season, Gallardo recorded his third complete-game shutout, allowing the Atlanta Braves only two hits and two walks while recording a hit and scoring the only run.

On April 23, he hit his ninth career home run off the Astros' Nelson Figueroa as the Brewers won 14–7. On May 7, Gallardo pitched a no-hitter into the 8th inning against the St. Louis Cardinals, ended by a lead-off single by Daniel Descalso that just slipped past a diving Craig Counsell; it was the only hit of the game as Gallardo finished the 8th inning by retiring the next 3 batters and Brewers closer John Axford closed out the 9th in a 4–0 win, with Gallardo walking 4 and striking out 6.

On August 21 against the New York Mets, he earned his 14th win of the season, matching his career high, and his 50th career win. On September 17, Gallardo set a new career high in strikeouts with 13 against the Cincinnati Reds, including 4 in one inning (with Brandon Phillips reaching on a wild 3rd strike), becoming the second Brewer ever to strike out 4 batters in one inning (Manny Parra being the other); he also won his 17th game, the most by a Brewer since Chris Capuano won 18 in 2005.

On September 23, in his final regular season start, Gallardo struck out 11 Marlins, his third straight start with at least 11 strikeouts, ensuring another 200-strikeout season (his third in a row), making him the first Brewers pitcher to notch 3 straight double-digit strikeout starts and 3 straight 200+ strikeout seasons. He finished 2011 with a 17–10 record, a 3.52 ERA, and 207 strikeouts (fifth in the league) in 207.1 innings pitched; his 17 wins were fourth in the NL.

In Game 1 of the NLDS against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Gallardo pitched 8 innings, surrendering 4 hits and a walk, and one earned run on a solo home run by Ryan Roberts, with nine strikeouts tying a franchise record for most strikeouts in a postseason game for the Brewers, earning a win as the Brewers won 4–1. He started Game 5 of the NLDS, lasting 6 innings, throwing 66 strikes in a 112-pitch effort.

Did You Know?

• On May 7, 2011, Gallardo pitched a no-hitter into the 8th inning against the St. Louis Cardinals; the only hit was a lead-off single by Daniel Descalso that just slipped past a diving Craig Counsell.
• On September 17, 2011, Gallardo struck out 4 batters in one inning against the Cincinnati Reds, becoming the second Brewer ever to do so (Manny Parra was the other).