Jose Espada #48

Signed by the Toronto Blue Jays as an international free agent on June 15, 2015...Claimed off waivers by the Boston Red Sox on Dec. 12, 2019...Signed by the San Diego Padres as a Minor League free agent on July 1, 2022...Signed by the Padres as a Minor League free agent on Dec. 17, 2025...Signed by the Orioles as a Minor League free agent on July 26, 2025.

2025

Made his lone MLB appearance of the season with the O's on 9/20 vs. NYY...Began the season in the San Diego Padres organization, going 3-1 with one save, a 3.38 ERA (14 ER/37.1 IP) and 58 strikeouts in 29 relief appearances between Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A El Paso...Released by San Diego on 7/22 and signed a Minor League contract with Baltimore on 7/26...Went 2-2 with three saves, a 5.94 ERA (11 ER/16.2 IP) and 25 strikeouts in 16 relief outings with Triple-A Norfolk...Following the season, went 1-1 with seven saves, a 0.71 ERA (one ER/12.2 IP) and 14 strikeouts with Criollos de Caguas in the Puerto Rican Winter League...Also made four relief appearances with Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Winter League.

2024

On Dec.7, 2023, Espada signed with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball...He made 24 appearances for the Swallows in 2024, compiling a 0–2 record, five holds and 5.00 ERA with 16 strikeouts across 27 innings pitched.

2023

Made his Double-A, Triple-A and MLB debuts, splitting the season between San Antonio (26 G), El Paso (9 G) and SD (1 G)...Between both minor league stops, made career highs in appearances (35), holds (3), IP (83.1), SO (110) and total pitches thrown (1,424)...Tossed at least 2.0 IP in 25 of his 35 appearances...In his 9 starts, he went 0-1 with a 3.04 ERA (9 ER, 26.2 IP) with a 13.05 SO/9 IP ratio...in his 26 relief outings, he went 3-1 with a 2.86 ERA (18 ER, 56.2 IP) and 11.53 SO/9 IP ratio...Held a 2.75 ERA across his first 17 outings (3 starts) from April 6-June 14 before allowing a season-high 5 ER on June 20 vs. Midland…following that outing, posted a 2.08 ERA across his final 15 outings from June 24-Sept. 15...All 3 of his winning decisions came in 3 consecutive outings from July 26-Aug. 3...Prior to having his contract selected by SD on Sept. 22, owned a 0.69 ERA (1 ER, 13.0 IP) across his 5 previous appearances (2 starts) for ELP from Aug. 29-Sept. 15...Made his MLB debut and his lone big league appearance on Sept. 24 vs. STL, striking out 2 and walking 2 while finishing off SD’s 12-2 victory…remained with the big league club through the end of the regular season...Between ELP and SA, limited RHH to a .176 AVG (31-for-176) while LHH batted .266 (33-for-124)…limited the opposition to a .190 clip (16-for-84) with RISP...On Nov.17, 2023, he was non-tendered a contract by the Padres and became a free agent.

2022

Made eight appearances (all starts) of Independent ball for the Milwaukee Milkmen of the American Association of Professional Baseball, going 2-1 with a 3.61 ERA (17 ER, 42.1 IP)...Signed a minor league deal with the Padres on July 1 and was assigned to High-A Fort Wayne, where he went 1-3 with a 4.95 ERA (18 ER, 40.0 IP) across 11 appearances (7 starts).

2021

In his only season with the Red Sox organization, made 28 appearances (2 starts) for High-A Greenville and went 2-0 with a 3.50 ERA (15 ER, 43.2 IP), .199 opponents’ AVG, 11.04 SO/9 IP and 3.31 SO/BB ratio (53 SO, 16 BB)...Pitched in a combined no-hitter against Asheville on September 2, striking out two of his six batters faced across the 6th and 7th innings of Greenville’s 6-0 victory.

2020

Did not pitch in 2020 due to the COVID-19 cancellation of the minor league season.