Brandon Carlin Workman (born August 13, 1988) is an American
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professional ...
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 ...
who is a free agent. He made his
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) debut in 2013 and has played in MLB for the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...
,
Philadelphia Phillies, and
Chicago Cubs. He throws and bats right-handed, and is listed at and .
Amateur career
Workman attended
Bowie High School in
Bowie, Texas.
He was a four-year letter winner, playing
shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists wh ...
and
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 ...
. As a senior and captain of the team, Workman had a 10–2
win–loss record
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of matc ...
with a 0.81
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) and 171
strikeouts in 76 innings. As a hitter, he
batted .481, and earned first-team All-State honors twice, first-team Louisville Slugger High School All-American recognition, and Rawlings All-Region honors. Workman was drafted by the
Philadelphia Phillies in the third round of the
2007 MLB draft
The 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players and was held on June 7, 2007 and June 8, 2007. The first day session of the draft included the fir ...
, but opted to attend college.
Workman attended the
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,07 ...
, where he played
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional p ...
for the
Texas Longhorns
The Texas Longhorns are the athletic teams representing the University of Texas at Austin. The teams are sometimes referred to as the Horns and take their name from Longhorn cattle that were an important part of the development of Texas, and a ...
.
[ During his freshman season, Workman went 5–2 and was named to the honor roll. During his sophomore season, Workman went 3–5 and held a 4.72 ERA in ]Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA. It consists of ten full-member universities. It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all sports. Its ...
play. Workman would then have an excellent junior season, before entering the MLB draft. Workman also played for the Wareham Gatemen
The Wareham Gatemen are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Wareham, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's West Division. The Gatemen play their home games at Clem Spillane Fie ...
of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2008 and 2009, and was a Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star, posting a 3.44 ERA as a freshman.
Professional career
Boston Red Sox
Minor Leagues
The Red Sox drafted Workman in the second round (57th overall pick) of the 2010 MLB draft, and signed him for a signing bonus of $800,000. He spent the 2011 season with the Class A Greenville Drive
The Greenville Drive are a Minor League Baseball team based in Greenville, South Carolina. They are the High-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and are a member of the South Atlantic League. They play their home games at Fluor Field at the West E ...
, appearing in 26 games (all starts) with a 6–7 record and 3.71 ERA.
In 2012, Workman was named the Red Sox's 2012 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, after pitching 20 games (all starts) for the Salem Red Sox
The Salem Red Sox are a Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB), based in Salem, an independent city adjacent to Roanoke, Virginia. The team competes at the Single-A level in the Carolina League. Ho ...
and leading the Class A-Advanced
High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated along the Atlantic Coast of the United States since 1945. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 unti ...
in fewest baserunners per nine innings, while ranking second in walks plus hits per inning pitched
In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. WHIP is calculated by adding the number of walks and hits allowed and divid ...
(WHIP) and fourth in ERA. He was promoted to the Portland Sea Dogs
The Portland Sea Dogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Portland, Maine, playing in the Eastern League. Established in 1994, the Sea Dogs are the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.
The Sea Dogs became part of the Red Sox syst ...
of the Class AA
Double-A (officially Class AA) is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946, below only Triple-A. There are currently 30 teams classified at the Double-A level, one for each team in Major League ...
Eastern League where he appeared in five games (all starts) and had a 3–1 record and 3.96 ERA.
Workman started the 2013 season with Portland, appearing in 11 games (10 starts) with a 5–1 record and 3.43 ERA. He was promoted to the Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox, known colloquially as the PawSox, were a professional minor league baseball club based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. From 1973 to 2020, the team was a member of the International League and served as the Triple-A affiliate ...
of the Class AAA
Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL). ...
International League, where he would appear in six games (all starts) with a 3–1 record and 2.80 ERA.
2013
Workman was promoted to Boston in July 2013, after a season-ending foot injury to Andrew Miller. In his major league debut against the Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...
on July 10, Workman pitched two innings in relief, gave up three runs, and struck out four. During his first start he brought a no-hitter into the seventh. He gave up his first hit and manager John Farrell let him stay in the game. He subsequently gave up two runs leading them to an extra inning loss. Through the remainder of the 2013 Red Sox season, Workman posted a 6–3 record with 4.97 ERA over 20 regular season appearances (3 starts), and did not allow an earned run during seven postseason appearances. He pitched a perfect 8th inning in the decisive Game 6 of the 2013 World Series
The 2013 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2013 season. The 109th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Boston Red Sox and the National Le ...
, setting up Boston closer Koji Uehara
is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He previously played for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), as well as the Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (M ...
. Workman also recorded his first professional at bat in Game 3 of the World Series, striking out on three consecutive pitches.
2014
On May 30, 2014, Workman was ejected from a game at Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home of the Boston Red Sox, the city's American League baseball team, and since 1953, its only Major League Bas ...
after throwing a high pitch behind Evan Longoria
Evan Michael Longoria (born October 7, 1985), nicknamed "Longo", is an American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays from 2008 through 2017, and the S ...
of 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) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...
. The incident occurred after Rays pitcher David Price had thrown at two Red Sox batters. On June 3, Workman was fined and suspended for six games. After losing an appeal, he began serving his suspension on June 18. Overall, for the 2014 Red Sox, Workman appeared in 19 games (15 starts) and had a 1–10 record with 5.17 ERA. He also appeared in 11 games (all starts) with Triple-A Pawtucket, compiling a 7–1 record with 4.11 ERA.
Tommy John surgery
In April 2015, Workman was placed on the disabled list with elbow soreness. He underwent a platelet-rich plasma
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), also known as autologous conditioned plasma, is a concentrate of platelet-rich plasma protein derived from whole blood, centrifuged to remove red blood cells. Though promoted to treat an array of medical problems, evid ...
(PRP) injection and was ordered not to throw for several weeks. When that was unsuccessful, he underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2015. As a result, he missed the entire 2015 season, and during the 2016 season made just ten appearances with Boston farm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
s, pitching a total of 20 innings and giving up 17 earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run that was fully enabled by the offensive team's production in the face of competent play from the defensive team. Conversely, an unearned run is a run that would not have been scored without the aid of an erro ...
s (7.65 ERA).
2017
In December 2016, Workman signed a one-year contract worth $635,000 with the Red Sox. He was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket to start the 2017 season; he would make 18 relief appearances with the PawSox, with a 1.55 ERA and 1.000 WHIP. Workman was called up by the Red Sox on May 2, and made his first MLB appearance since 2014 on May 4, pitching three scoreless innings. With the 2017 Red Sox, Workman posted a 3.18 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over innings of relief work.
2018
In January 2018, Workman and the Red Sox avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $835,000 deal for the 2018 season. Having worn uniform number 67 with the Red Sox since his MLB debut, Workman changed to uniform number 44 for 2018. Workman was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket prior to the start of the 2018 Boston Red Sox season, following limited success during spring training (9 appearances, 5.59 ERA, 1.76 WHIP). On June 5, Workman was called up to Boston after Drew Pomeranz
Thomas Andrew "Drew" Pomeranz (born November 22, 1988), nicknamed Big Smooth, is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, ...
was placed on the disabled list. Workman made 21 relief appearances during June and July, pitching innings with a 2.89 ERA. He was returned to Triple-A on July 26, when the Red Sox added Nathan Eovaldi
Nathan Edward Eovaldi ( ; born February 13, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Ra ...
to the active roster.
Workman was recalled to Boston from July 31 until August 12,[ when ]Chris Sale
Christopher Allen Sale (born March 30, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Chicago White Sox, with whom he made his major league debut ...
was on the disabled list, making five relief appearances and allowing one run in innings (1.59 ERA). Workman was again called up on August 18, when Sale went back on the disabled list. For the season, Workman made 43 relief appearances with Boston, compiling a 6–1 record with 3.27 ERA and 37 strikeouts in innings.[ Workman was on Boston's postseason Roster for the ALDS and ALCS, making three relief appearances and allowing a combined five runs in one inning pitched.][ He was replaced on the roster by Pomeranz for the ]World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
, which the Red Sox went on to win over 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 ...
.
2019
Workman was included on Boston's Opening Day roster to start the 2019 season. For the season, he appeared in 73 games, compiling a 10–1 record with 16 saves, while striking out 104 batters in innings.[ He finished the 2019 season as Boston’s closer, and was named AL Reliever of the Month for September when he pitched innings without allowing an earned run and converted all seven save opportunities.
]
2020
Workman made seven appearances with Boston during the start-delayed 2020 season, registering four saves and a 4.05 ERA.
Philadelphia Phillies
On August 21, 2020, Workman was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies along with Heath Hembree and cash for Nick Pivetta
Nicholas Johncarlo Pivetta (born February 14, 1993) is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Washington Nationals selected Pivetta in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB draft. He was tra ...
and Connor Seabold. On August 22, Workman made his Phillies debut. On August 23, he earned his first Phillies save. On August 26, Workman earned the save against the Washington Nationals in back-to-back Phillies wins and manager Joe Girardi
Joseph Elliott Girardi (born October 14, 1964) is an American former professional baseball player and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Girardi played the catcher position for the Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees, and S ...
's 1,000th win as an MLB manager.
Workman struggled mightily during the Phillies' run for a playoff spot. He allowed 23 hits and 11 runs over 13 innings and had a record of 1–4. Statistically, he was one of the worst pitchers of the 2020 MLB season.
Chicago Cubs
On February 17, 2021, Workman agreed to a major league contract with the Chicago Cubs with a base salary of $1 million and an additional $2 million available in incentives. On April 29, 2021, Workman was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
after pitching to a 6.75 ERA, allowing 9 runs in 8 innings pitched. He was released on April 30.
Boston Red Sox (second stint)
On May 6, 2021, Workman signed a minor-league contract with the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...
organization and was assigned to the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox
The Worcester Red Sox (nicknamed the WooSox) are a professional minor league baseball team based in Worcester, Massachusetts. Beginning play in 2021, the team is the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, succeeding the Pawtucket Red Sox. The ...
. At the start of June, Workman opted out of his minor-league contract, triggering a two-day window for the Red Sox to either promote Workman to the major league roster or release him. On June 3, Workman was added to Boston's active roster, with Colten Brewer
Colten Bradley Brewer (born October 29, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox and the San Diego Padres. Listed at and , Brewer bo ...
being designated for assignment to clear roster space. Workman made his 2021 Red Sox debut later that day; in closing out a 5–1 win against the Houston Astros, he allowed a home run by Yuli Gurriel
Yulieski Gourriel Castillo (born June 9, 1984), commonly known as Yuli Gurriel and nicknamed "La Piña", is a Cuban professional baseball first baseman who is a free agent. He previously played for Sancti Spiritus in the Cuban National Serie ...
. On July 29, Workman was designated for assignment to clear room on the 40-man roster
A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, an ...
for Kyle Schwarber
Kyle Joseph Schwarber (born March 5, 1993) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the Indiana Hoosiers and was a first-round selection in the 20 ...
. On August 1, Workman elected free agency. Overall in his second stint with the Red Sox, Workman made 19 relief appearances, pitching to a 1–0 record with 4.95 ERA while striking out 14 batters in 20 innings.
Texas Rangers
On March 11, 2022, Workman signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. Workman was released by the Rangers organization on April 5.
Personal life
Workman grew up a Texas Rangers fan. He and Taylor Caswell were engaged in March 2015, and married on November 21, 2015 in Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls ( ) is a city in and the seat of government of Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay, and Wichita counties. Accord ...
. They have one son together.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Workman, Brandon
1988 births
Living people
Baseball players from Texas
Boston Red Sox players
Chicago Cubs players
Greenville Drive players
Gulf Coast Red Sox players
Lowell Spinners players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Pawtucket Red Sox players
People from Bowie, Texas
Philadelphia Phillies players
Portland Sea Dogs players
Salem Red Sox players
Texas Longhorns baseball players
Wareham Gatemen players
Worcester Red Sox players