Adam John Kolarek (born January 14, 1989) is an American professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
in the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
organization. He previously played for the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
,
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
and
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
. He played college baseball for the
Maryland Terrapins
The Maryland Terrapins, commonly referred to as the Terps, consist of 19 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, College Park in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divis ...
. Kolarek was drafted by the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
in the 11th round of the
2010 Major League Baseball draft
The 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held on June 7–9, 2010 at the MLB Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey.
First-round selections
The draft order was determined based on the 2009 MLB standings, with the worst team pic ...
, and made his MLB debut in 2017. He was a member of
Team Israel in the
2023 World Baseball Classic
The 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), an international professional baseball tournament, is set to be the fifth iteration of the World Baseball Classic. It was originally set for 2021 (as per tradition to hold the event every four years), but wa ...
in Miami in March 2023.
Amateur career
Kolarek was born in
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
, to Frank Kolarek and Dorothy Kolarek.
His father played baseball as a catcher at the University of Maryland from 1973-75, and then played professionally in the minor leagues for the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
organization from 1976-1979, reaching Class AA with the
Ogden A's
The Ogden A's were a minor league baseball team in the Pacific Coast League, based in Ogden, Utah. They were the Triple-A farm club of the Oakland Athletics, and replaced the San Jose Missions as the tenth team in the PCL.
The Ogden A's exi ...
.
He has three sisters.
He attended
Catonsville High School
Catonsville High School (CHS) is a four-year public high school in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It is located on the southwest side of the county close to the Baltimore City border near Anne Arundel and Howard County, just outside t ...
. He was a pitcher and outfielder for the Comets.
In 2006 as a junior he was named First-Team All-Metro as an outfielder.
In 2007 as a senior he batted .397 and was 8-2 with a 1.05 ERA as a pitcher, and was named First-Team All-Metro as a pitcher and a Brooks Robinson All Star.
He then attended the
University of Maryland
The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...
, where he played from 2008 to 2010. In 2008 as a freshman, he was 2–1 with a 4.26 ERA in 21 relief appearances.
In 2009 as a sophomore, he was 2–1 with a 4.68 ERA in 26 games (four starts), and in 2010 as a junior, he was 1–4 with a 6.06 ERA in 13 games (five starts). Ranked as one of the top 50 lefthanders in the country, Kolarek was drafted by the Mets in the 11th round of the
2010 Major League Baseball draft
The 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held on June 7–9, 2010 at the MLB Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey.
First-round selections
The draft order was determined based on the 2009 MLB standings, with the worst team pic ...
.
Professional career
New York Mets
Kolarek pitched for the
Kingsport Mets
The Kingsport Mets were a Minor League Baseball team of the Appalachian League from 1921 to 2020. They were located in Kingsport, Tennessee, and were last named for the team's major league affiliate, the New York Mets. The team played its home ...
and
Brooklyn Cyclones
The Brooklyn Cyclones are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the New York Mets. They are based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, and play at Maimonides Park, just off the Coney Island Boar ...
in 2010, and went 2–1 with a 3.13 ERA in 22 relief appearances between them. In 37 1/3 innings, he allowed 19 hits and had 45 strikeouts. Had he qualified, he would have led Kingsport in
WHIP
A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally e ...
, with a mark of 0.643.
He pitched for the
Savannah Sand Gnats
The Savannah Sand Gnats were a minor league baseball team based in Savannah, Georgia. They were a member of the A-level South Atlantic League. The Sand Gnats were an affiliate of the New York Mets in their final nine seasons. The team relocated ...
and
St. Lucie Mets
The St. Lucie Mets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the New York Mets. They are located in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and play their home games at Clover Park. The Mets have been members ...
in 2011, going 7–1 with a 2.85 ERA in 26 games (one start). His 1.000 winning percentage for Savannah tied for the team and
league
League or The League may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band
* ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football
Sports
* Sports league
* Rugby league, full contact footba ...
lead.
In 2012, Kolarek went 1–3 with 18 saves (fifth in the league), 70 strikeouts (11.1 strikeouts per 9 innings; 6th in the league), and a 2.37 ERA in 44 games (57 innings) for St. Lucie, earning a spot on the
Florida State League
The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...
All-Star team.
He also pitched 6 games for the
Binghamton Mets
The Binghamton Rumble Ponies are an American Minor League Baseball team based in Binghamton, New York. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club. The Rumble Ponies play in Mira ...
, and posted a 2–0 record with a 5.68 ERA. He was an MiLB.com Organization All-Star and a FSL Post-Season All-Star that year. He led St. Lucie in games and
games finished
In baseball statistics, a relief pitcher is credited with a game finished (denoted by GF) if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game.
Mariano Rivera is th ...
that year. He led the entire league in saves. In the
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season sports league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during the autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are fill ...
, he had a 2.92 ERA in nine games for the
Surprise Saguaros
The Surprise Saguaros are a baseball team that plays in the West Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games in Surprise, Arizona, at Surprise Stadium. The ballpark is also the spring training facility of the Kansas City Royal ...
.
In 2013, he was 3–3 with a 1.71 ERA in 44 relief appearances for Binghamton. In his first taste of
Triple-A, Kolarek had an 11.25 ERA in 2 appearances for the
Las Vegas 51s as well.
Kolarek spent some time with the big league club during 2014
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
. Back with Binghamton for that year's regular season, his ERA was 6.07 in 48 relief appearances, though he had a 1.12 mark in six games for the
Gigantes de Carolina in the
Puerto Rican Winter League
Puerto, a Spanish word meaning ''seaport'', may refer to:
Places
*El Puerto de Santa María, Andalusia, Spain
*Puerto, a seaport town in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines
*Puerto Colombia, Colombia
*Puerto Cumarebo, Venezuela
*Puerto Galera, Orient ...
.
He spent 2015 with Binghamton. He tied for fourth in the Eastern League with 51 appearances.
He then pitched for the Gigantes de Carolina in the Puerto Rican League for a second consecutive year.
Baltimore Orioles
Kolarek signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles on October 23, 2015, and was assigned to the Double-A
Bowie Baysox
The Bowie Baysox are a Minor League Baseball team located in Bowie, Maryland. They are the Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and play in the Eastern League. Their home ballpark is Prince George's Stadium.
History
From 1989 to 1992, ...
.
Tampa Bay Rays
On December 10, 2015, the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
selected Kolarek in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft. He split the 2016 season between the Triple-A
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened in ...
and the Double-A
Montgomery Biscuits
The Montgomery Biscuits are a Minor League Baseball team based in Montgomery, Alabama. They are the Double-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and play in the Southern League. The team was founded in Orlando, Florida, in 1973 as the Orlando Twins ...
, posting a 3-4 record and 3.13 ERA in 47 appearances between the two teams, holding left-handers to limited lefties to a .143 average.
On November 7, 2016, he elected free agency.
Atlanta Braves
On November 19, 2016, Kolarek signed a minor league contract with the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
organization that included an invitation to Spring Training. He did not make the team out of spring and was released on March 24, 2017.
Tampa Bay Rays (second stint)
![Adam Kolarek](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Adam_Kolarek.jpg)
On March 27, 2017, Kolarek signed a minor league contract to return to the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
organization. He was assigned to Triple-A Durham to begin the year. Kolarek was called up to the majors for the first time on June 28, 2017. At 28 years old, after 320 mionor league games over eight minor league seasons, Kolarek made his major league debut at
PNC Park
PNC Park is a baseball stadium on the North Shore (Pittsburgh), North Shore of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the fifth home of the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). It was opened during the 2001 Major League Baseball season, ...
, throwing 1.1 innings, allowing one hit and striking out one on 14 pitches.
On September 3, Kolarek was designated for assignment by Tampa Bay after struggling to a 6.48 ERA across 12 appearances in his rookie year. He was outrighted to Durham the next day.
Kolarek did not make the team out of spring in 2018, and was assigned to Triple-A Durham to start the season. On July 6, 2018, Kolarek was selected to the active roster after posting a 1.70 ERA in 29 games in Durham. In 2018, he made 31 appearances with two saves and a 3.93 ERA, and 10.5 strikeouts per 9 innings.
In 2019 with the Rays, he was 4–2 with a 3.95 ERA in 54 games.
[
]
Los Angeles Dodgers
On July 31, 2019, the Rays traded Kolarek to the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
in exchange for minor leaguer Niko Hulsizer. He pitched in 26 games for the Dodgers in 2019, with two wins and a stellar 0.77 ERA in 11 innings.[ In 2019 he allowed only 19.6% of inherited runners to score (the seventh-best percentage among Major League relievers), and had the 3rd-highest ]ground ball
In the sports of baseball and softball, a batted ball is a pitch that has been contacted by the batter's bat. Batted balls are either fair or foul, and can be characterized as a fly ball, pop-up, line drive, or ground ball. In baseball, a fou ...
percentage among big league relievers, at 66.9%.
In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Kolarek was 3–0 with one save. He appeared in 20 games and allowed only two runs in 19 innings for an amazing 0.95 ERA.[ He held batters to a batting line of .164/.208/.224.] He appeared in four games in the postseason, working innings, allowing three runs as the Dodgers won the 2020 World Series
The 2020 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's 2020 season. The 116th World Series was a best-of-seven-playoff between the American League (AL) champion Tampa Bay Rays and the National League (NL) champion Los Ang ...
.[ With the victory, Kolarek earned his first ever World Series championship.]
Oakland Athletics
On February 12, 2021, Kolarek was traded to the Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
(along with Cody Thomas) in return for Sheldon Neuse
Sheldon Lynn Neuse ( ; born December 10, 1994) is an American professional baseball infielder for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oaklan ...
and Gus Varland. He was designated for assignment on June 30, 2022. On October 13, Kolarek elected free agency.
In his major league career through 2022, he kept left-handed batters to a batting line of .190/.243/.260. Between 2017 and 2022, he primarily threw an 89 mph sinker and a 79 mph slider, while also throwing an 83 mph changeup and a 92 mph fourseam fastball.
Los Angeles Dodgers (second stint)
On December 15, 2022, Kolarek signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers.
International career; Team Israel
Kolarek will be eligible to play for the Israel national baseball team
The Israel national baseball team ( he, נבחרת ישראל בבייסבול) represents Israel in international competitions. It is managed by Israeli-American former Major League Baseball World Series champion, World Baseball Classic champion, ...
in the 2023 World Baseball Classic
The 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), an international professional baseball tournament, is set to be the fifth iteration of the World Baseball Classic. It was originally set for 2021 (as per tradition to hold the event every four years), but wa ...
, to be held starting in Miami during March 11–15, if it passes the first round through his marriage to a Jewish woman. He would be playing for Team Israel manager Ian Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler ( he, איאן קינסלר; born June 22, 1982) is an American-Israeli former professional baseball second baseman, World Series champion, World Baseball Classic champion, Olympian, and advisor in the San Diego Padres fron ...
, and alongside outfielder Joc Pederson
Joc Russell Pederson ( ; born April 21, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Atlanta Br ...
and starting pitcher Dean Kremer
Dean Junior Kremer ( he, דין קרמר; born January 7, 1996) is an Israeli–American professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). In 2015 he became the first Israeli drafted by an MLB team. He made ...
, among others.
Personal
His father, Frank Kolarek, played in the minor leagues in the 1970s and 1980s. Adam married Melanie Rae Shapiro on November 11, 2017.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kolarek, Adam
1989 births
Living people
Baseball players from Baltimore
Major League Baseball pitchers
Tampa Bay Rays players
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Oakland Athletics players
Maryland Terrapins baseball players
University of Maryland, College Park alumni
Kingsport Mets players
Brooklyn Cyclones players
Savannah Sand Gnats players
St. Lucie Mets players
Binghamton Mets players
Surprise Saguaros players
Las Vegas 51s players
Gigantes de Carolina players
Montgomery Biscuits players
Durham Bulls players
Las Vegas Aviators players