Brandon James Lyon...Attended Taylorsville High School (UT) and Dixie State College of Utah...Began career as a starter in the Toronto organization before transitioning to the relief role in 2003...Has spent parts of five seasons as a big league closer (2003, '05, '07, '10-'11) tallying 79 Major League saves in his career...Made five postseason appearances for Arizona in 2007, tossing six scoreless innings over five appearances...allowed only one hit and one walk...Established a D-backs club record for relievers by tossing 25 consecutive scoreless innings across 24 outings in 2008...Originally drafted by Toronto in the 14th round of the 1999 amateur draft.
2012
Split the year between Houston and Toronto after he was sent from the
Astros to the Blue Jays in a 10-player trade on July 20...Combined for a
career-high 63 strikeouts...Has pitched in 60 or more games in six of his last seven seasons...Went 4-0 with a 2.88 ERA (eight earned runs/25.0 innings) with 28
strikeouts and two walks in 30 appearances for the Blue Jays...Was unscored upon in 24 of his 30 outings with Toronto...Held opponents to a .240 (56-233) batting average...Lefthanders hit .213
(16-75) against him and are batting .234 (79-338) since 2009...Had eight contests where he went more than 1.0 inning...Recorded a 1.97
ERA (three earned runs/13.2 innings) during those games...Hurled 12.1 scoreless innings from April 28-May 28...Limited hitters a .194 (14-72) batting average with runners in scoring
position and opponents hit .139 (5-36) with runners in scoring position
and two outs.
2011
Recorded three wins and four saves in 15 games before missing the final three months of the season with right biceps tendinitis
and a partial right rotator cuff tear...began the year as the Astros closer and went 4-for-8 in save opps. before going on the DL on May
5...activated on June 9 and made three apps. before returning to the DL on June 14 to end his campaign...underwent surgery on June
30 to repair the detachment of his right biceps tendon and repair the tear of his labrum...handed the blown save on Opening Day,
April 1 at PHI, after allowing three rus in 0.1 of an inning...pitched to a 1.80 ERA (2ER/10IP) over his next nine appearances...allowed 12
runs in 3.0 innings over his next five MLB appearances before being shut down for the season...made two injury rehab appearances
with Triple A Oklahoma City, tossing a scoreless inning in each outing.
2010
6-6 with 20 saves and a 3.12 ERA (27ER/78IP) in 79 games...was 20-for-22 in save opportunities...tied his career high
with six wins and set a career high with 79 appearances...allowed only two homers in 78.0 innings, averaging 0.23 home runs per
9.0 innings...the ratio ranked third in the Majors (min. 75IP), trailing only Jonny Venters (1HR/83IP) and Carlos Marmol (1HR/77.2IP)...
was the lowest percentage by an Astro since 1989, when Larry Anderson allowed only two homers in 87.2IP (0.21HR/9IP)...was the
only member of the Astros Opening Day bullpen to remain on the active roster all season...other OD bullpen members: Byrdak
(DL), Fulchino (DL), Gervacio (optioned), Lindstrom (DL), Moehler (DL) and Sampson (outrighted)...teamed up with RHP Matt
Lindstrom (23 SV) to become just the fifth set of teammates in MLB history, the first Astros, to reach 20 saves in the same
season for the same club...the last team to accomplish this was the 1992 Reds, with Norm Charlton (26) and Rob Dibble (25)...
successfully converted 16 straight save opportunties from June 10-Sept. 14...tossed 16.0 consecutive scoreless innings, over
15 appearances, from Aug. 13-Sept. 10...moved into the closer's role on Aug. 1 and saved 19 games (in 20 opportunities) in
the final two months of the season...ranked tied for first in the Majors in saves in that time span (also, Marmol)...owned a 2.51
ERA (9ER/32.1IP) in 32 games from Aug. 1 through the end of the season...posted a career-high, five-game winning streak from
April 20-June 6...tied RHP Wilton Lopez for the longest relief winning streak on the club in 2010...the two were the first Astros
relievers with five-plus game winning streaks since Octavio Dotel also won five straight decisions from April 11-June 6, 2003...
limited to only six appearances in Spring Training after having a small cyst in his right shoulder drained in January.
2009
Signed by the Tigers as a free agent during the off-season, he established a career high with 78.2 innings pitched and 57
strikeouts in 65 games with the club...equaled a career high with six wins...tied for eighth among AL relievers with six wins and 78.2
innings pitched...posted a 5-1 record and 0.72 ERA (3ER/37.1IP) over 29 appearances from June 2-Aug. 21...finished 2-0 with a 0.56
ERA (1ER/16IP) in 11 outings during June...did not allow a run over 15 straight outings from July 7-Aug. 21, fanning 19 batters in 17.0
scoreless innings...posted a 1-1 record and 1.35 ERA (2ER/13.1IP) in 11 appearances during July...compiled a 2.57 ERA (4ER/14IP) in 14
outings during September...limited lefties to a .205 batting average (23x112) and righties to a .205 (33x161) mark...opponents hit .190
(15x79) with runners in scoring position...posted a 5-1 record and 1.96 ERA (8ER/36.2IP) in 34 games at home...finished the season 3-1
with a 1.77 ERA (7ER/35.2IP) in 31 outings following the All-Star break.
2008
Registered a career-high 26 saves for the Arizona Diamondbacks during the 2008 season...Finished 10th among all National League relievers with 1.97 walks per nine innings...Converted 15 straight save opportunities April 9-June 23, the longest such streak of his career...Did not allow a run in 24 straight outings April 9-June 12, tossing 25.0 scoreless innings -- established a Diamondbacks record for a reliever with the scoreless innings streak...Posted a 2-3 record and 2.40 ERA (30.0IP/8ER) in 30 games on the road...finished 1-2 with a 7.06 ERA (29.1IP/23ER)
in 31 appearances at home.
2007
His 35 holds were the second-highest single-season total in the Major Leagues, as he now has 59 for his career as a D-back...Earned his 26th hold of the season on Aug. 25, breaking Luis Vizcaino's single season franchise record of 25 set in 2006...On July 27 vs. Atlanta, recorded his 45th career hold as a D-back, breaking Mike Koplove's franchise mark of 44...Set a new career-high, earning his sixth win of the season on July 14 vs. San Diego...Opened the season with the D-backs for the fourth consecutive season...Earned wins in back-to-back appearances on April 9 vs. Cincinnati and April 14 vs. Colorado...Finished April 2-0 with 6 holds and an 0.79 ERA (1 ER in 11.1 IP)...Picked up his first save of the season on April 29 vs. San Francisco, his first save since Sept. 29, 2005 at Los Angeles...Tossed a season-high 2.0 innings on June 9 vs. Boston...Went 2-0 with a 1.10 ERA (2 ER in 16.1 IP) in 13 games in June...From Aug. 9 through the remainder of the season, he had a 2.11 ERA while picking up 14 holds over 22 games...the team was 16-6 in games he appeared in over that stretch...Held left-handed batters to a .233 average (30-for-129), the best mark of his career...Inherited 21 runners, allowing 6 to score.
2007 Postseason highlights: Appeared in all 3 NLDS games against the Cubs, tossing a total of 3.0 innings, allowing 1 hit and 1 walk with 1 strikeout...pitched in 2 NLCS games vs. Colorado, totaling 3.0 innings with 4 strikeouts.
2006
Lyon did not spend any time on the disabled list for the first time in his three seasons with the D-backs. He went 2-4 with a 3.89 ERA and seven saves. Lyon issued a career-high 22 walks. He was used somewhat conservatively this season due to past elbow problems and Tommy John surgery. Appeared in 68 games, but only once was he used three days in a row. His 69 1/3 innings were a career high.
2005
Was the club's closer out of Spring Training and was 13 for 14 in converting saves before being placed on DL on May 18 (retro to May 13) with strained right elbow. ... Activated Aug. 13 and struggled to find same effectiveness.
2004
Brandon had a tough first year on the health front as a member of the Diamondbacks...he underwent an MRI and an
electromyogram in spring training, then a further examination by Dr. Lewis Yocum led to the decision to have ulnar nerve
transposition surgery on March 24...two weeks later the cast came off, but Lyon did not return to the mound until July 14
when he tossed about 25 pitches...he began a rehab assignment with Tucson (AAA) on July 26 and was touched for 5 runs
on 6 hits in an inning of work against Fresno...overall he pitched 6 times for Tucson, going 2-3 with a 15.12 ERA...during
his August 11 rehab outing, Brandon felt a "twinge" and reported tightness in the elbow...an MRI revealed no structural
damage, but the setback once again slowed his return...another attempt to activate him before year's end was aborted during
the season's final week.
2003
Brandon pitched exclusively out of the pen for the first time in his big league career...he served as one of Boston's top
closer options prior to the late-May arrival of Byung-Hyun Kim, with Lyon recording 6 saves through the end of May (spanning
22 appearances), and converted his first 9 opportunities...he did not pitch in the majors from July 21-September 2 due
to right elbow soreness, then returned to go 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA in 7 September outings...Brandon experienced a strange
final week of July, going to the Pirates in a 4-player swap on July 22 that sent Scott Sauerbeck to the BoSox...upon his
arrival in Pittsburgh, the Pirates claimed an MRI showed fraying tendons in Lyon's pitching elbow and placed him on the
15-day disabled list on July 25...Red Sox doctors, reading the same MRI, disagreed with the diagnosis, then he was reacquired
by the Red Sox with Jeff Suppan in a deal just prior to the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline...Lyon made 5 rehab
outings with Pawtucket (AAA), then returned to Boston's active roster on September 2...all told, he threw only 8.1 innings
after the All-Star break...Brandon made a memorable Red Sox debut at Tampa Bay on April 2, pitching 3.0 innings of scoreless,
extra-inning relief to earn a 9-8 win in 16 innings, Boston's first victory of the season...he earned his first Major League
save on April 16 vs. the Devil Rays...Lyon struck out Robin Ventura, Alfonso Soriano and Derek Jeter in the ninth inning
to preserve a 10-7 win on May 20 vs. New York...he did not incur a blown save until June 28 vs. Florida.
2002
Started the season with Tor. and was 1-4 with a 6.53 ERA...Lost his first two decisions before picking up only win on 4/23 at Tex. (6.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)...Allowed a career-high 7 ER on 4/10 at NYY...Made his first career relief app. on 5/28 at Bos. (3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K)...Worked in 5 games in relief, going 0-0 with a 5.19 ERA in 8.2 IP...Allowed 7 ER in his final start on 6/11 vs. SF, a 9-2 loss...Was optioned to Syracuse (AAA) on 6/21...Went 4-9 with a 5.11 ERA in 14 starts with the SkyChiefs...Recorded a decision in his first 13 starts...Worked a season-high 8 IP in a 9-3 win vs. Pawtucket on 7/8 (7 H, 3 ER, 1 K)...Lost five of his last six decisions and seven of his last nine...Was 2-5 with a 4.76 ERA in seven starts at home and 2-4 with a 5.50 ERA in seven starts on the road...Acquired by Boston via waiver claim on 10/9.
2001
Made his M.L. debut with Tor. and was 5-4, 4.29 in 11
starts...Opened the season in Tennessee (AA) and was 5-0, 3.68 in
nine starts...Had nine walks and 45 strikeouts in 58.2 IP...Named
Southern Lg. Pitcher of the Week 4/13-19 (2-0, 0.57 ERA, 15.2 IP, 14
K)...Promoted to Syracuse (AAA) on 6/1 and was 5-3, 3.69 in 11
starts...Had two CG, both 7 inng. games...Had season high eight
scoreless IP on 7/3 at Columbus...In AA & AAA combined, went 10-3,
3.76 in 20 starts (127 IP, 53 ER)...Twice named International League
Pitcher of the Week (6/11-17, 7/9-15)...Took a no-hitter into the
sixth inning in the first game of a DH on 7/15 vs.
Buffalo...Contract purchased by Tor. on 8/3...Won his M.L. debut, 2-
1, on 8/4 vs. Balt. (7.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)...Was the seventh
youngest pitcher ever to start for Tor. and second youngest to
win...Prior to M.L. debut in his second pro season, he appeared in
35 minor league games, 33 starts, with 187.1 IP...Won four
consecutive starts from 8/21-9/7, posting a 2.73 ERA during that
stretch...Held opponents to 1 ER in five of his 11 starts...Held RH
hitters to a .239 batting average, LH hitters to a .289 average, and
all to a .266 average overall.
2000
Made his pro debut with Queens of the NY/Penn League (A)...Was 5-3,
2.39 in 15 apps., 13 starts...Led league starters in runners
allowed/9 IP (7.99) and BB/9 IP (0.96)...Was fourth in batting
average against (.299)...Allowed just 43 hits while walking just six
with 55 K in 60.1 IP...Finished the season with 10 straight
scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and posting a 2-0
record...Did not walk a batter in his final 28 IP of the season.
