Andrew Kittredge #36

On the first day of the 2021 All-Star break, he was having dinner with his family at the Rainforest Cafe at Disney when he received a call from Kevin Cash that he was being added to the AL roster to replace an inactive pitcher...He and his wife, Tobey, have a son, Brooks… he received the call that his wife was in labor while on his way to the airport to be recalled to the big leagues…from there he altered plans and traveled eight hours on two flights from Durham to Seattle to arrive in time for his birth...Andrew implemented a weighted-ball program with Driveline Baseball near Seattle ahead of the 2019 season in order to build arm muscle… he believes it led to increased velocity and arm strength…now living in Spokane, he maintains the program himself with his own garage wall he built to use for weighted ball drills...While in the Australian Baseball League during the 2012-13 offseason, he and a few teammates were leaving the stadium at night and found a huntsman spider on the trunk of his car…the species has legs spanning five inches on average.

2022

Underwent Tommy John surgery on June 22, performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas…during the surgery, Meister reconstructed the UCL with an internal brace augmentation and removed multiple loose bodies...Pitched twice after returning from a May 19– June 4 stint on the 15-day IL (low back tightness) before returning to the injured list on June 8… transferred to the 60-day IL on June 11...Pitched to a 5.87 ERA (7.2-IP, 5-ER) in his final seven apps, yielding 10 hits and three HR over that span to increase his season ERA from 1.46 to 3.15… all three blown saves came in these seven apps...Made his fourth Opening Day roster, all with the Rays, following 2018, 2020 and 2021...Became the third pitcher in franchise history to record a win and save within the team’s first two games of a season, joining Fernando Rodney in 2012 and Rafael Soriano in 2010...On May 16 vs. DET, allowed a go-ahead, solo homer to Harold Castro in the ninth inning…was his third homer allowed in his last five apps, with two game-tying homers and one go-ahead shot.

2021

Enjoyed a breakout season including a spot on the AL All-Star Team, a year after his season ended after eight apps with a right UCL sprain...Among pitchers with as many innings, his 1.88 ERA led the AL and ranked third in the majors behind NYM Jacob deGrom (1.08) and PHI Ranger Suárez (1.36)…in Rays history, the only pitcher with as many innings and as low an ERA was Fernando Rodney (0.60) in 2012...His nine wins tied for third on the club and tied for 3rd among AL relievers behind NYY Chad Green (10) and SEA Paul Sewald (10)…ranked 2nd on the team with eight saves behind Diego Castillo (14)…had six saves in his last 13 apps, compared to two saves in his first 44 apps of the season...Was used four times as an opener and the Rays went 3-1 in those games…pitched in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th...Recorded 4 outs (or more) in 24 of 57 apps...Reinstated on Sep 28 from a minimum stint on the 10-day IL due to neck tightness...In Baseball America’s Best Tools survey of managers, coaches and executives, was ranked as the AL’s third-best Reliever behind CHW Liam Hendriks and BOS Matt Barnes...Made his third career Opening Day roster, all with the Rays, following 2018 and 2020...On April 24 vs. TOR, pitched around a 1-out double by Cavan Biggio for a scoreless 9th inning, the second save of his career (Aug 10, 2020, at BOS)...On June 1 at NYY, took his first loss since April 5, 2018, at BOS, going 9-0 in between…pitched a scoreless 10th inning, with a Gary Sánchez strikeout to leave the bases loaded…retired his first two BF in the 11th before allowing a two-run homer to Clint Frazier, the second time in his career he allowed a walk-off hit...On June 25 vs. LAA, opened and yielded solo homers in the first inning to both Shohei Ohtani and Anthony Rendon…the two HR matched his total from his first 27 apps (3 starts) of the season and was the second multi-HR app of his career...On Sep 10 at DET, inherited the bases loaded with one out in the seventh inning and yielded a grand slam to Jonathan Schoop, his first batter faced…marked the first grand slam allowed in his career and the first blown save of his career...On Sept. 12 at DET, pitched around a leadoff single in the ninth inning to send the game to extras…began the 10th with a 7-5 lead and retired his first 2 BF but allowed a game-tying, 2-run homer to Jeimer Candelario on a 2-2 pitch...On Sept. 17 vs. DET, pitched a perfect 10th inning to strand the automatic runner…the third out was a strikeout of Jonathan Schoop, who hit a grand slam off him exactly one week prior…got the win after a Brett Phillips walk-off homer...ALL-STAR GAME: Added less than 24 hours prior to the game as a replacement for an inactive pitcher, his first career selection…pitched a perfect 7th inning with three groundouts...Became the second player in franchise history to enter spring training as a non-roster invite and make the All-Star Team, joining Evan Longoria in his rookie season (2008)…became the eighth Rays reliever to make the All-Star Team and first since Alex Colomé in 2016...Only two Rays pitchers made their first All-Star Team at an older age: Fernando Rodney (35) in 2012 and Rolando Arrojo (32) in 1998...POSTSEASON: Pitched in Games 3-4 of the ALDS at BOS, both scoreless apps spanning 3.1 IP…in Game 3 at BOS, inherited 2-on, 2-out and got a J.D. Martinez strikeout to end the third inning…retired all 6 BF in Game 4 at BOS.

2020

Reassigned from major league spring training to minor league camp on March 11…was not part of the Rays 60-man player pool.

2019

Selected from Triple-A Durham on June 18 and remained in the Rays bullpen through the end of the season…made 30 apps out of the bullpen and was used seven times as an opener...Pitched to a 3.65 ERA (12.1-IP, 5-ER) in 11 apps (2 starts) in September, after a 5.88 ERA (26-IP, 17-ER) in his first 18 apps (4 starts) out of the AllStar break…his last 6 apps were scoreless...Went 1-0 with a 3.32 ERA (38-IP, 14-ER) in 30 apps in relief, compared to 0-0 with a 6.94 ERA (11.2-IP, 9-ER) as an opener...With 58 SO in 49.2 IP, increased his strikeout rate from 7.04 SO/9 IP in 2018 to 10.51 in 2019...On July 27 at TOR, started and recorded a career-high 7 SO in 3 IP…was the second pitcher in franchise history with 7 SO (or more) in an outing of 3 IP (or fewer), following Shawn Camp on June 25, 2007 vs. CWS…Tyler Glasnow joined this group on Sep 21 vs. BOS...On Sep 11 at TEX, allowed three straight singles to start the game and was replaced…marked the fifth time a Rays starter failed to record an out, first since Chris Archer on Sep 2, 2017 at CWS...Went 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA (37.1-IP, 8-ER) and 55 SO in 27 apps (1 start) for the Bulls, including a 0.34 ERA (26.1-IP, 1-ER) and 42 SO in 20 apps beginning April 26 until his selection.

2018

Made 33 apps (3 starts) over five stints with the Rays, including his first career Opening Day roster…was on the roster from Opening Day-May 13, July 4-8, July 11-15, July 27-31 and Aug 25 through season's end)…held left-handed hitters to a .232/.348/.393 (13-for-56) line with 1 HR, but righties hit .394/.430/.644 (41-for-104) with 6 HR… on March 31 vs. BOS, made his first career start in the team's debut of a bullpen day, and his 3.1 IP and 57 pitches remain career highs…on April 25 at BAL, his first career win came out of the bullpen after retiring both batters faced in the 5th inning… from Sep 5-19, made nine straight scoreless outings spanning 7.2 IP…after that, yielded multiple runs in his last 3 apps, totaling 8 R/ER in 2.2 IP to increase his season ERA from 6.31 to 7.75…was unbeaten (6-0) in 21 apps (1 start) with Triple-A Durham…was outrighted off the 40-man roster in November.

2017

Was with the Rays for four stints, his first career major league action: July 17-23, July 26-27, Aug 23 and Sep 3 through season's end... Recorded a 1.76 ERA (15.1-IP, 3-ER) in 15 apps… posted a 0.87 ERA (10.1-IP, 1-ER) in 10 apps during his final stint, and ended the season on a streak of 8 consecutive scoreless apps... Made his major league debut on July 18 at OAK (0.2-IP, 1-H, 0-R/ER)…struck out Jaycob Brugman, his first batter faced... Allowed a total of 4 runs (1 unearned), including 3 runs scoring on a pair of homers…on July 27 at NYY, yielded a walk-off, 11th-inning solo homer to Brett Gardner…on Sep 4 vs. MIN, allowed a 2-run homer Brian Dozier... Became the second rookie in franchise history to allow a walk-off homer against the Yankees, following Steve Geltz on July 3, 2015... Went 6-1 with a 1.45 ERA (68.1-IP, 11-ER) in 41 apps (2 starts) with Durham…did not allow a run in his last 13 apps…named to the IL midseason All-Star Team... Was a non-roster invite to Rays spring training.