Full name NICHOLAS JAMES WITTGREN... Wife, Ashley…Son, Jackson...Attended McCutcheon High School in Lafayette, IN, where he also played basketball and tennis…Was on the same team as Kevin Plawecki in 2011 and 2012, capturing Purdue’s first Big Ten conference regular season championship in 2012, the first for the school since 1909…The Big Ten tournament title (est. 1981) was the first for the Boilermakers…Lived in Cypress and Long Beach, CA up until the sixth grade before moving to Indiana…Favorite team growing up was the LA Angels and his favorite player was Vlad Guerrero... Attended Parkland College (JC) in Champaign, IL for one year prior to stint at Purdue....Led Parkland to fifth-place finish in 2010 NJCAA Division II World Series...Earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors in first year at Purdue...Holds Purdue career records for saves (22) and strikeouts-per-9.0 innings (9.196, min. 75.0 IP)...Played for Hyannis Harbor Hawks in Cape Cod League in 2011...Has a passion for animals and is a regular volunteer at the Cleveland APL.
2020
Enjoyed another solid campaign, recording 19 scoreless outings...Among AL relievers he was tied for third in holds(teamhigh 10) and T-16th in games (25)...Recorded career-bests in hits/9IP (6.8), SO/9IP (10.6) and strikeout:walk ratio (4.67)... Batters hit just .167 (3-for-18) with RISP…Left-handed hitters were just 8-for-45 (.178) w/13 K…Stranded 8 of his 9 inherited runners and has retired 20 of 25 first batters faced (first batters were 3-for-23, .130)…Sept: 5.79 ERA (10G, 6ER/9.1IP)... Recorded a 1.93 ERA over his first 19 outings thru Sept. 9 (4ER/18.2IP/11H)...Tossed 1.1 IP of relief in his postseason debut (game 2, Sept. 30) of the AL Wild Card Series vs. New York-AL.
2019
Was a key component in what was statistically one of the best bullpens in the American League, recording a career-high 12 holds, 55 appearances and 57.2 relief innings...His 2.81 ERA was 19th-lowest among American League relievers and his 12 holds were third on the club... Was acquired late in the offseason (Feb. 4) and made eight appearances in Spring Training and was optioned to AAA Columbus on March 23, making two appearances for Columbus in early April...Was recalled from Columbus on April 9 (Clevinger IL) and spent the remainder of the season at the Major League level... Recorded 39 scoreless outings and recorded 18 appearances of at least 1.1 innings...Retired 41 of his 55 first batters faced (74.5%)...Allowed only 2 of 27 inherited runners (7.4%) to score, the best mark on the club....Fanned a season-high four batters in his club debut, April 10 at Detroit...Batters hit .200 (16-for-80) with runners on base and .195 (8-for41) with RISP...Recorded his first Major League save, April 17 at Seattle, working the final 2.0 innings of a 1-0 win...His four saves were second on the club (was 4-for-6 in save conversions)...From July 1-end of season he posted a 2.30 ERA (7ER/27.1IP) and from July 7-end of season his ERA was 2.13 (6ER/25.1IP)...Right-handed hitters owns a slash line of .203/.248/.368.
2018
Went 2-1 with 2.94 ERA (11 ER/33.2 IP) in 32 games with Miami, holding opponents to a career-best .223 average...Opened season with New Orleans...Was recalled by Miami on April 20, and went 2-0 with 0.57 ERA (1ER/15.2IP) over his first 15 games with the Marlins...Placed on 10-day DL with right middle finger contusion on June 2 (retro to June 1); returned from rehab and reinstated from 10-day DL on June 22, before being optioned back to New Orleans on June 28...Made three rehab appearances, going 0-1, 13.50 (2ER/1.1IP) in two G with Double-A Jacksonville, and 0-0, 0.00 (0ER/1.2IP) in one G with Triple-A New Orleans...Recalled from Triple-A New Orleans on September 1...Did not allow a run in eight of final 10 appearances, allowing just two runs in 11.1 innings pitched with 11 strikeouts to two walks (one intentional).
2017
Opened season with Miami and posted 3-1 record with 4.68 ERA (42.1 ip/22 er) in injury-shortened campaign. Saw five games at Triple-A New Orleans, tossing 5.0 scoreless innings from April 18-29...Season cut short after landing on 10-day disabled list with right elbow strain on July 28 (retro to July 27). Had surgery to remove a bone chip in right elbow on September 26 by Dr. James Andrews...Prior to being optioned to New Orleans on April 13, allowed two runs over 6.2 innings...Tossed season-high 3.0 hitless innings on April 13 vs. Mets, with no walks and three strikeouts...Over 13-game stretch from May 19-June 18, allowed just one run over 11.1 innings (0.79 ERA). Limited opponents to eight hits and three walks, with 12 strikeouts...From May 26-June 4, didn't allow a hit over six consecutive appearances (4.2 ip), the longest such streak of his career...Earned first win on June 4 vs. Arizona, entering with one out in seventh inning...Struck out career-high four batters on July 9 at San Francisco over 2.0 scoreless innings.
2016
Had three separate stints with Marlins (48 games) during rookie season: April 19-26; May 10-14; and May 26 until end of season...His 3.14 ERA ranked fifth among qualified National League rookie relievers...Also ranked 10th among rookie relievers in games, tied for 10th in innings pitched, and tied for 13th in strikeouts...Made 10 appearances for Triple-A New Orleans; held opponents to .143 average, with 11 strikeouts and four walks...After allowing two runs in first outing for Zephyrs, held opponents scoreless over 10.0 innings in final nine appearances...Made Major League debut on April 19 vs. Washington and faced one batter (0.0 ip, r, er, bb)...Earned first career win on June 2 vs. Pittsburgh...Had season-long scoreless innings streak of 12.2 frames (11 games) from June 29-July 27; held opponents to .116 average (5x43) in that time, with eight strikeouts and one walk (intentional)...Was 3-1, 2.73 (26.1 ip/8 er) in 20 first-half appearances, and 1-2, 3.55 (25.1/10) in 28 second-half outings...Posted 2-0, 2.70 (23.1/7) mark at home, and 2-3, 3.49 (28.1/11) mark on road...Stranded 24-of-29 inherited runners on the year.
2015
After brief two-game stint with Double-A Jacksonville to start season, spent rest of campaign with Triple-A New Orleans...Made NOLA debut on April 15 and earned a win in relief, striking out the side in his only inning...Earned a save in four straight appearances between May 23 and June 1, but had just three strikeouts in that frame, holding opponents to four hits and no runs...Converted first eight save opportunities for NOLA; suffered first blown save on June 28 at Iowa...Posted ERA of 1.38 in 10 games in May, and 2.25 in nine games in June, propelling him to Pacific Coast League Midseason All-Star nod...Recorded exactly one walk in every month of season with NOLA except April, when he walked three, and finished season with 8.00 so/bb ratio...Held left-handed hitters to a .183 (19x104) batting average...Held opponents to a .171 (6x35) average with runners on base and two outs, but allowed a .323 (20x62) average against to first batter faced.
2014
Spent 2014 with Jacksonville, recording career-high 66.0 innings pitched...Among qualified Southern League relievers, ranked second in games finished (42) and third in saves (20)...In 52 appearances, held opponents to 14 walks (1.9 BB/9 rate) and six home runs (0.8 hr/9 rate)...Recorded eight saves with a 4.55 ERA (31.2/16) in 24 first-half appearances...In second half, went 12-for-13 in save opportunities with a 2.62 ERA (34.1/10).
2013
Was named Marlins' Minor League Pitcher of the Month for August...In 11 appearances, went 1-0 with five saves and four hits allowed over 11.0-scoreless innings, with 12 strikeouts to one walk...Highest monthly ERA of season was 1.74 (10.1 IP/2 ER)...Held opponents scoreless for entire month in both May (11 G, 13.2 IP) and August (11 G, 11.0 IP), and to just one run in June (6 G, 7.2 IP)...Most runs allowed in a month were three (two earned) in both April and July...Converted first four save opportunities of season, over span of first nine appearances, and set season-high with five strikeouts in a 2.0-inning outing on April 20 vs. Charlotte...Converted eight straight saves from May 3-30, longest stretch of season...Also, converted last five save chances of season over span of last six appearances...Held right-handed batters to .191 (25x131) average, while left-handers hit .250 (17x68), including only home run he allowed on season...Also, opponents batted just .132 (7x53) with runners in scoring position, with just five runs scored...Was promoted to Double-A Jacksonville on August 29 and made four appearances before end of season, tossing 1.0 perfect inning in each game...Converted only save chance for Suns, on September 1 vs. Mississippi.
