Chad Alan Girodo (born February 6, 1991) is an American former 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 t ...
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 ...
. He played in
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) for the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
, who drafted him in 2013. Girodo played in the Blue Jays' minor league organization for parts of four seasons before being called up to the Major Leagues for the first time on April 22, 2016.
High school & college
Girodo was a four-year
letter winner
In sports or activities in the United States, a letterman is a high school or college student who has met a specified level of participation or performance on a varsity team.
Overview
The term comes from the practice of awarding each such parti ...
at Hartselle High School, playing mostly as a starting pitcher. In his senior year, he pitched to a 17–1
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 ...
and 0.47
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 ...
Bulldogs
The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.
Professional career
Minor leagues
In the
2013 Major League Baseball draft
The 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2013. The first two rounds were broadcast from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey.
Each team received one selection per round, going in ...
, Girodo was selected in the 9th round by the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
, and assigned to the Class-A
Lansing Lugnuts
The Lansing Lugnuts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They are located in Lansing, Michigan, and play their home games at Jackson Field.
The Midwest League came to Lans ...
. In 14 appearances that season, he would post a 1–1 record, 4.18 ERA, and 24 strikeouts in 23 innings.
In 2014, Girodo was assigned to the Advanced-A
Dunedin Blue Jays
The Dunedin Blue Jays are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and are the Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club. They are located in Dunedin, Florida, and play their home games at TD Ballpar ...
for the entire season. In 47 appearances totalling a career-high 76 innings, he pitched to a 7–3 record, 2.47 ERA, and 81 strikeouts. Girodo began the 2015 season in Dunedin, where he was a Florida State League mid-season All-Star. He was promoted to the Double-A
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a Minor League Baseball team based in Manchester, New Hampshire. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays major league club.
During the team's first seaso ...
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen ...
in September. In 45 total appearances in 2015, Girodo would post a stellar 1.34 ERA, 4–2 record, and 58 strikeouts in 60 innings. During the offseason, he appeared in 7 games for the Salt River Rafters of 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 fille ...
, recording a 1.80 ERA in 10 innings pitched.
Girodo was invited to Major League spring training on January 12, 2016. He was assigned to minor league camp on March 25. Girodo was assigned to the Buffalo Bisons to open the 2016 minor league season. He made 4 appearances for the team, posting a 2–0 record, 1.35 ERA, and 7 strikeouts in 6 innings prior to his call-up.
Toronto Blue Jays
On April 22, 2016, Girodo was called up by the Blue Jays. He pitched two scoreless innings in relief that evening against the Oakland Athletics in his Major League debut. After
Brett Cecil
Brett Aarion Cecil (born July 2, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals. Cecil was drafted as the 38th overall pick in the 2007 MLB dra ...
was placed on the disabled list, Girodo became the main lefty specialist for the Blue Jays. He was optioned back to Buffalo on April 23, and recalled on May 3. Girodo was optioned back to Buffalo at the end of May, and recalled by the Blue Jays on June 15. On February 9, 2017, Girodo was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays. After clearing waivers, he was assigned to Triple-A Buffalo and invited to Major League spring training. Girodo spent the entire season in the minors, going 2–4 with a 2.96 ERA in 31 games. On January 24, 2018, the Blue Jays invited Girodo to spring training. He was released on April 25.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Girodo was signed to a minor league contract with 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 ...
on May 7, 2018, and was assigned to the AA Tulsa Drillers. He pitched in seven games for the Drillers and six for the
Oklahoma City Dodgers
The Oklahoma City Dodgers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and play their home games at Chickasaw Bricktown Ba ...
before he was released on June 16.
Chicago Dogs
On July 10, 2018, Girodo signed with the
Chicago Dogs
The Chicago Dogs are an independent professional baseball team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. They began play in 2018 and p ...
of the independent
American Association American Association may refer to:
Baseball
* American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891
* American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
* American Association of Profe ...