Aaron Bummer #36

Attended the University of Nebraska, where he went 11-6 with a 3.06 ERA, one save and 110 strikeouts over 51 career appearances (23 starts)…Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2013 and '14...Was on the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll in Fall of 2011 and 2013 and Spring of 2012 and 2013...Graduated in 2010 from Sunrise Mountain High School in Peoria, Ariz.

2025

Appeared in 42 games in his second season as a Brave, pitching to a 3-2 record and a 3.81 ERA (23 ER/54.1 IP)...Was placed on the injured list on Aug. 24 due to left shoulder inflammation and missed the remainder of the season...Ranked in the 99th percentile in baseball with a barrel rate of just 3.2%...He allowed just five barrels in 156 batted balls...His seven total barrels allowed since joining the Braves in 2024 are easily the fewest in the Majors (min. 100.0 IP)...Opponents hit ground balls off him 55.8% of the time (league average 42.4%)... That rate ranked in the 94th percentile for the season...Since his debut in 2017, Bummer’s career ground ball rate of 64.2% is highest in the Majors (min. 350 games)...Fanned a career-high five batters over just two innings, June 1 versus Boston... Later matched it over 2.1 innings on July 5 versus Baltimore...He made the first start of his Major League career in that July 5 outing, and later opened for the Braves again on July 12 at St. Louis...Combined to pitch 4.1 innings between the two turns.

2024

In his age-30 campaign, Bummer appeared in 56 games in his first season as a Brave, pitching to a 4-3 record and a 3.58 ERA (22 ER/55.1 IP)...Posted a 11.2 strikeouts-per-9.0 innings ratio...Didn’t allow his first barrel until Aug. 10, completing 42 games and 43.1 innings before Sam Hilliard’s (COL) 111.2-mph, 18°-launch angle double at Coors Field...Kyle Schwarber (PHI) was the only other player to record such contact off Bummer...The southpaw's two barrels (1.3 barrel percentage) were easily the fewest in the Majors (min. 200 batters faced)…Every other qualifying pitcher had at least four...Posted a 46.0-inning homerless streak that spanned April 21-Sept. 14...It was the fourth-longest active run in the National League among all pitchers and the fifth-longest in Major League Baseball...Opponents hit ground balls off him 61.3% of the time (league average 43%)…That rate ranked in the 98th percentile for the 2024 season...From July 13-26, struck out three batters in four consecutive appearances...The last Braves reliever with such a run was Steve Bedrosian from July 9-27, 1982.

2023

Across 61appearances in his age-29 season, pitched 58.1 innings and logged a 6.79 ERA (44 ER)...His FlP (3.58) was more than three points lower than his ERA...Pitched to a 5-5 record, struck out 78 and walked 36 batters...Recorded a 12.0 K/9.0 IP...His ERA increased from 2.36 in 2022 to 6.79, while his opponents average decreased from .288 to .236...Led Chicago relievers with a career- high 78 strikeouts...His average of 12.03 strikeouts per 9.0 IP was the best mark of his career over a 162-game schedule...Led the White Sox with 15 holds, upping his career total to 85, the second-highest total in club history behind Matt Thornton (164)...Left-handers batted .231/.348/.321(18-78) off him with zero home runs allowed, compared to .238/.354/.361(35-147) with four homers allowed by right-handers...Was acquired by Atlanta from the Chicago White Sox on Nov. 16, 2023 in exchange for INF Braden Shewmake, LHP Jared Shuster, INF Nicky Lopez, RHP Michael Soroka and Minor-League RHP Riley Gowens.

2022

Was limited to 32 appearances due to a pair of stints on the injured list....Lowered his ERA from 3.51 in 2021 to 2.36 despite an increase in his WHIP (1.26 to 1.50), opponents average (.202 to .288) and OPS (.560 to .734). ...Posted 10 holds and converted two of his six save chances…averaged 10.13 strikeouts per 9.0 IP (30 SO/26.2 IP) with a 3.00 SO/BB ratio (10 BB)....Left-handers batted .231/.340/.256 (9-39) with no home runs, while right-handers hit at a .323/.371/.446 (21-65) clip (two HR)....Allowed 42.1 percent (8-19) of inherited runners to score as first batters went 11-27 (.407)....Made his season debut on Opening Day (4/8) at Detroit and recorded a hold despite allowing two runs in 0.2 IP....Earned his first save of the season in the White Sox first win on 4/9 at the Tigers, striking out the side in the ninth inning....Was charged with his first blown save on 4/24 at Minnesota, allowing a game-tying, two-run homer to Byron Buxton in the seventh…suffered his first loss on 4/28 vs. Kansas City after giving up three runs (one earned) over 1.2 IP....Was placed on the 15-day injured list on 5/9 (retro to 5/7) with a right knee strain…was reinstated on 5/22 to serve as the 27th player for a doubleheader at the Yankees and remained on the active roster following the twin bill...Posted his eighth hold on 5/25 vs. Boston (0.2 scoreless IP) and his ninth on 6/5 at Tampa Bay (scoreless seventh inning)....Was placed on the 15-day injured list on 6/12 (retro to 6/9) with a strained left lat…made 12 straight appearances without allowing an earned run (10.0 IP) prior to the injury…gave up a hit in a career-high seven straight outings from 5/24-6/5....Was sent to Class AAA Charlotte on an injury rehab assignment on 8/30 and transferred to the 60-day IL on 9/2 … made two appearances with the Knights before being returned from the rehab assignment and reinstated from the I...on 9/5....Made his first Sox outing in exactly three months on 9/7 at Seattle (1 ER/1.0 IP), suffering a blown save after allowing a leadoff homer to Eugenio Suárez…walked the next batter (Carlos Santana) and gave up a single to Adam Frazier before retiring the next three batters, two via strikeout…earned the win after the Sox scored a run in the eighth....Also earned the victory in his next appearance on 9/9 at Oakland, pitching a 1-2-3 eighth inning…the Sox scored five runs in the ninth to erase a 3-0 deficit....Recorded his second save of the season on 9/17 at Detroit, allowing an unearned run in the 11th inning of a 4-3 win…suffered a blown save on 9/20 vs. Cleveland as he allowed a pair of inherited runners to score....Made seven straight scoreless appearances to end the season (9/20-10/5), throwing 5.0 IP with no walks and five strikeouts....Earned his 10th and final hold on 9/30 at San Diego, striking out Juan Soto to strand a pair of inherited runners and preserve a 3-1 lead.

2021

American League Relief Leaders: GB Pct. (1st, 77.6); Opp. SLG (2nd, .250); Holds (T4th, 21); Opp. OPS (6th, .560); HR/9.0 IP (8th, 0.48)...Established career highs in strikeouts (75), wins (five) and appearances (62) in his fifth season in the White Sox bullpen...Ground and Whiff: Lead al-major-league relievers with a 77.6 groundball-percentage while averaging 11.98 strikeouts per 9.0 IP … his 11.98 SO/9.0 IP is the highest among relievers to lead the majors in GB percentage since at least 1987 (STATS LLC)...No Rest Needed: Posted a 0.84 ERA (1 ER/10.2 IP) with 17 strikeouts and a .179 opponents average in 12 appearances with zero days of rest...Held left-handed hitters to a .151/.173/.151 (11-73) average with no extra-base hits and 32 strikeouts...Made his debut on Opening Day (4/1) at the Angels … suffered the loss and a blown save after allowing two unearned runs with a walk and strikeout over 0.2 IP...Recorded his first hold of the season on 4/18-1 at Boston …surrendered one hit with one strikeout in 1.0 scoreless IP...Registered a 10-game scoreless streak (10.0 IP) from 4/23-5/16 … posted four holds and allowed just five hits with one walk and 11 strikeouts during the streak...Struck out three batters over a season-high 1.2 scoreless IP on 5/9 at Kansas City...Suffered his second loss and fourth blown save on 5/18 at Minnesota … allowed a game-tying, two-run homer to Miguel Sanó in the ninth and put the winning run on base, ending his 10-game scoreless streak...Earned his first save of the season on 5/31-1 at Cleveland after allowing one unearned run with a strikeout in 1.0 IP...Recorded his second save on 6/11 at Detroit with a scoreless 10th inning … retired the final three batters after beginning the inning with a runner on second...Worked a scoreless inning with two strikeouts to earn his first win of the season on 6/27 vs. Seattle … suffered the loss in each of his first four decisions...Was on the 10-day injured list from 6/28-7/15 with a strained right hamstring … earned his second win on 7/19-2 vs. Minnesota, tossing 1.0 scoreless IP...Recorded at least one strikeout in 18 straight games from 5/31-8/4, the third-longest streak in Sox history by a reliever...Went 3-1 with a 1.52 ERA (4 ER/23.2 IP), 29 strikeouts and .157 (13-83) opponents average over his last 27 games (24 scoreless efforts)...Made 10 straight scoreless appearances (9.2 IP) from 7/28-8/18 … recorded six holds and held opponents to a .121 (4-33) average with 14 strikeouts during that span...Matched season highs in IP (1.2) and strikeouts (three) on 8/15 vs. New York-AL...Ended the season on a career-high 11.0 scoreless IP streak over his last 13 games … opponents went 3-35 (.086) with one walk and 11 strikeouts during that stretch...Recorded his 200th career strikeout (Bobby Bradley) on 9/24 at Cleveland … became the 21st White Sox reliever to record 200-plus strikeouts with the club...Appeared in three games of the White Sox ALDS loss vs. Houston, allowing three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts over 3.1 IP...Suffered the loss in Game 2 at Minute Maid Park after giving up three runs on three hits in the seventh inning (0.1 IP).

2020

Was limited by a left biceps strain to nine appearances and 9.1 IP … posted three holds after tying for sixth in the American League with 27 in 2019 … averaged 13.5 strikeouts per 9.0 IP (14 SO) and did not allow a home run...Limited opponents to a .152/.263/.152 (5-33) average with no extra-base hits … right-handers were 2-20 (.100) while lefties went 3-13 (.231) … first batters faced were 2-8 (.250)....Made his second Opening Day roster (also 2018) … allowed one run on two hits over 0.2 IP in his season debut on 7/24 vs. Minnesota but threw 8.2 scoreless IP with 11 strikeouts over his final eight appearances...Recorded his first hold on 7/25 vs. Minnesota (0.2 scoreless IP) and his only win on 7/29 at Cleveland...Left the game on 8/7 vs. Milwaukee and was placed on the 10- day injured list on 8/8 with a left biceps strain … was reinstated from the IL on 9/24 and pitched that night at Cleveland, throwing a scoreless eighth inning (11 pitches)...Agreed to terms on a five-year, $16-million contract, plus two club options, on 2/22...Made two appearances of the American League Wild Card Series at Oakland, allowing one hit over 1.1 scoreless IP...Posted a hold in his first career postseason appearance in Game 1, retiring the only batter he faced to end the eighth with the tying run at the plate … threw 1.0 scoreless IP in Game 3.

2019

American League Relief Leaders: 2nd-IRS Pct. (19.4); T4th-1st Batter Eff. (.115); T6th-Holds (27); 7th-ERA (2.13); T9th-Opp. AVG (.184) ... Southpaw Relief: Ranked among the major-league lefthanded relief leaders in first-batter efficiency (1st), ERA (3rd), holds (4th), opponents average (5th), games (T9th, 58) and IP (T9th, 67.2) ... Hold it Right There: His 27 holds were the third-highest total in franchise history behind Barry Jones (30 in 1990) and Nate Jones (28 in 2016) and the most ever by a left-hander ... One Up, One Down: Posted a .115 (6-52) opponents average vs. first batter faced, the third-lowest mark in White Sox history since 1974 behind David Robertson (.100 in 2015) and Kevin Hickey (.105 in 1981) ... Began the season on the Class AAA Charlotte injured list with a strained right hip … was reinstated on 4/12 ... Appeared in five games with the Knights (2 ER/7.2 IP) before being recalled by the White Sox on 4/28 ... Posted a 1.80 ERA (7 ER/35.0 IP) over 31 games at home and a 2.48 ERA (9 ER/32.2 IP) in 27 games on the road ... Recorded a 0.49 ERA (1 ER/18.1 IP) and .100 (6-60) opponents average over his first 16 outings with the Sox … did not allow an earned run over his first nine games ... Made his season debut on 4/29 vs. Baltimore, retiring all three batters he faced for the hold ... Compiled a 0.68 ERA (1 ER/13.1 IP), 0.68 WHIP, .130 average (6-46) and 12 strikeouts over 11 games in May … worked at least 1.0 IP 10 times and 1.1-plus IP five times ... Struck out three batters over 1.1 scoreless IP on 5/5 vs. Boston … matched his career-high with 2.0 scoreless IP on 5/8 at Cleveland ... Earned his first career save on 6/13 vs. the Yankees, pitching a scoreless ninth … suffered his first blown save on 6/21 at Texas ... Made seven consecutive scoreless appearances from 7/13- 31, allowing just three hits (all singles) over 6.2 IP ... Recorded a hold in six consecutive appearances from 8/4- 19, the second-longest streak in Sox history behind Matt Albers (seven from 9/17/15-4/7/16) ... Milestone K: Tallied his 100th career strikeout on 9/3 at Cleveland in the eighth inning (Yasiel Puig) ... Tossed a career-high-tying 9.0 consecutive scoreless IP over his last seven outings, recording a hold in each of the last five.

2018

Split the season between the White Sox (37 appearances) and Class AAA Charlotte (31)....Posted a 2.66 ERA (6 ER/20.1 IP) over 20 appearances at Guaranteed Rate Field, compared to a 7.15 mark (9 ER/11.1 IP) in 17 outings on the road...Averaged 9.95 strikeouts per 9.0 IP (35 SO/31.2 IP) with a 3.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio (10 BB), but yielded a .301 (40-133) opponents average with a 1.58 WHIP...Made his first career Opening Day roster, working 0.1 scoreless IP in the season-opener on 3/29 at Kansas City...Worked 1.2 perfect IP on 4/20 vs. Houston … suffered his first loss on 4/22 vs. Houston (1 ER/0.0 IP) … registered his first hold on 4/27 at Kansas City...Matched his career-high with 2.0 scoreless IP on 5/18 vs. Texas … also threw 2.0 IP on 9/26 vs. Cleveland (career-high four strikeouts) and 9/29 at Minnesota... Was optioned to Charlotte on 6/6, where he threw 1.0-plus IP in 26 of his 31 appearances and limited right-handers to a .222 (12-54) average... Lowered his ERA with the Knights from 4.15 (6 ER/13.0 IP) in the first half to 1.53 (3 ER/17.2 IP) after the break … did not allow a run over his final nine outings (8.2 IP)...Was recalled by the White Sox on 9/1, recording a 5.84 ERA (8 ER/12.1 IP) over 11 outings in September …allowed his only homer of the season on 9/7 vs. the Angels (Andrelton Simmons)....Entered the season ranked by MLB.com as the No. 20 prospect in the White Sox system.
 

2017

Began the season with Class A Winston-Salem before earning promotions to Class AA Birmingham, Class AAA Charlotte and the White Sox during the season...Limited opponents to a .178 (13-83) average with the White Sox, including a .171 (7-41) mark by left-handers...Posted a 2.70 ERA (4 ER/13.1 IP) in 15 games at home (7.27 mark in 15 road appearances)...First batters faced hit .125 (3-24) with four walks … allowed 11.8 percent (2-17) of inherited runners to score...His contract was purchased from Charlotte on 7/27 … made his major-league debut that night vs. the Cubs, allowing one run on one hit in 1.0 IP … struck out the first batter he faced, Anthony Rizzo, and surrendered a homer to Kyle Schwarber...Surrendered a game-ending home run to Mitch Moreland in the 11th inning on 8/4 at Boston...Worked 2.0 scoreless IP on 8/11 vs. Kansas City for his first major-league victory...Recorded a 0.96 ERA (1 ER/9.1 IP) with five holds, eight strikeouts and a .133 opponents average over 14 September appearances...Ended the season with a streak of 11 consecutive scoreless appearances (9/9-30), allowing just one hit with four walks and six strikeouts over 7.0 IP...Made 28 combined appearances (one start) between Winston-Salem, Birmingham and Charlotte, going 1-5 with a 3.31 ERA (18 ER/49.0 IP), five saves and 54 strikeouts...Opened 2017 with the Dash and made eight relief appearances, limiting lefties to a .207 mark (6-29)...Made 17 appearances, including one start, with Birmingham… converted all three of his save opportunities...Made his only start on 6/7 at Tennessee (1 ER/2.2 IP)...Was promoted to Charlotte on 7/17.