Gregory Scott Holland (born November 20, 1985) 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 baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
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 previously 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
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
,
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
,
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
,
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
,
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
, and
Texas Rangers. Holland is a three-time
All-Star.
After pitching for
Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University (WCU) is a public university in Cullowhee, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system.
The fifth oldest institution of the sixteen four-year universities in the UNC system, WCU was founded t ...
, Holland made his MLB debut with the Royals in 2010. He became their
closer and made the All-Star Game in 2013 and 2014, and also won the
Mariano Rivera Award
Major League Baseball (MLB) annually honors its best relief pitchers in the American League (AL) and National League (NL) with the Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award and Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year Award, respectively. The awa ...
in 2014. Holland was a member of the
2015 Kansas City Royals team that won 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 ...
. He missed the 2016 season while recovering from
Tommy John surgery
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...
, and signed with the
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
for the 2017 season. He led the
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
in
saves with the Rockies, and signed with the Cardinals for the 2018 season.
Early career
Holland attended
McDowell High School
McDowell High School is a public high school located in Millcreek Township, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Erie. It is the only high school in the Millcreek Township School District. The school's mascot is the Trojan.
Students
There are approximately ...
in
Marion, North Carolina
Marion is a city in and the county seat of McDowell County, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1844, the city was named in honor of Brigadier General Francis Marion, the American Revolutionary War Hero whose talent in guerrilla warfare ...
, and he played for the school's
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 ...
team as a
third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
. He suffered a broken jaw when he was hit in the face by a ball, requiring his jaw to be wired shut. He lost weight, dropping to about , and drew little interest from
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 pl ...
programs. He enrolled at
Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University (WCU) is a public university in Cullowhee, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system.
The fifth oldest institution of the sixteen four-year universities in the UNC system, WCU was founded t ...
, and
walked on to the
Catamounts' baseball team as a
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 ...
.
While at Western Carolina, he had a 10–12
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 match ...
with a 4.34
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) from 2005 to 2007.
Professional career
Kansas City Royals
The
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
selected Holland in the 10th round of the
2007 Major League Baseball 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 f ...
.
Holland began his professional career in 2007, making 22 relief appearances for the
Idaho Falls Chukars
The Idaho Falls Chukars are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and play their home games at Melaleuca ...
of the
Rookie-level Pioneer League, and going 6–1 with a 3.48 ERA, striking out 37 batters in 33 innings. In 2008, he pitched for the
Wilmington Blue Rocks
The Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Wilmington, Delaware, and play their home games at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium.
...
of 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 ...
, going 4–5 with a 3.42 ERA in 32 games (seven starts), fanning 96 batters in 84 innings. He split 2009 between the
Northwest Arkansas Naturals
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are a Minor League Baseball team based in Springdale, Arkansas, Springdale, Arkansas. The team is a member of the Texas League, and serves as the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The ...
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 ...
Texas League
The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...
and the
Omaha Royals
Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County, Nebraska, Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. List of ...
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 ...
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
, going a combined 4–3 with a 3.81 ERA in 35 relief appearances.
2010–2013
Holland began the 2010 season with the Omaha Royals, going 3–3 with a 3.81 ERA in 36 relief appearances for them overall. He was promoted to the majors on July 29, 2010 and made 15 relief appearances for the Kansas City Royals, going 0–1 with 23 strikeouts and a 6.75 ERA in 18 innings.
Holland started the 2011 season in Omaha, but was called up again in May, earning his first major league win in a May 19 game against the
Texas Rangers. He pitched in 46 games for the big league club that season, going 5–1 with a 1.80 ERA. He allowed only 37 hits and struck out 74 batters in 60 innings. At the minor league level, he was 2–0 with a 2.08 ERA in 13 relief appearances that season. In 2012, Holland went 7–4 with 16 saves, 91 strikeouts and a 2.96 ERA in 67 relief appearances. He assumed closing duties when
Jonathan Broxton
Jonathan Roy Broxton (born June 16, 1984) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardin ...
, who began the season as the team's closer, was traded to the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
on July 31. He also pitched in two games at the minor league level that year.
In 2013, Holland became the Royals full-time closer and converted 47 of 50 save opportunities. On September 26, 2013, Holland set the Royals single season saves record with his 46th save in a 3–2 win over the Chicago White Sox. He surpassed
Dan Quisenberry
Daniel Raymond "Quiz" Quisenberry (; February 7, 1953 – September 30, 1998) was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Kansas City Royals. Notable for his submarine-style pitching delivery ...
and
Jeff Montgomery who both had 45 save seasons.
2014–2016
Holland had his second straight All-Star year in 2014, converting 46 of 48 save opportunities while compiling a 1.44 ERA. He appeared in eight games in the postseason leading up to the Royals
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 ...
appearance, posting a 1.13 ERA over 8 innings and earning 6 saves. He tied a playoff series record by saving 4 games in the ALCS (matching
Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Lee Eckersley (born October 3, 1954), nicknamed "Eck", is an American professional baseball pitcher and former color commentator. Between 1975 and 1998, he pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, ...
's record in the 1988 ALCS), the first since
John Wetteland
John Karl Wetteland (born August 21, 1966) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (1989–2000). He pitched for four teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and Texas Rang ...
in the
1996 World Series
The 1996 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1996 season. The 92nd edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion (and defending World Series champion ...
. On October 22, Holland won the inaugural
Mariano Rivera Award
Major League Baseball (MLB) annually honors its best relief pitchers in the American League (AL) and National League (NL) with the Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award and Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year Award, respectively. The awa ...
for his outstanding performance as a closer. Two days later in Game 3 of the World Series he saved his record-tying seventh game of the postseason, sharing the record with Wetteland,
Robb Nen
Robb Allen Nen (born November 28, 1969) is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He spent most of his career as a closer. He is the son of former major league first baseman Dick Nen. He currently works in the Giants' front ...
,
Troy Percival
Troy Eugene Percival (born August 9, 1969) is an American baseball coach and former professional baseball pitcher. He gained fame as a closer. During a 14-year baseball career spanning from 1995 to 2009, he pitched for four Major League Baseball ...
,
Brad Lidge
Bradley Thomas Lidge (born December 23, 1976) nicknamed "Lights Out" is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Lidge played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 2002–2012. He played for the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phi ...
and
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 ...
.
After serving the bulk of the 2015 season as the Royals' closer, compiling 32 saves with a 3.83 ERA, doctors discovered in late September that Holland had a "significant tear" in his right ulnar collateral ligament. On September 22, the Royals announced that Holland's season was over, and that he would likely require
Tommy John surgery
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...
. On September 29, the team confirmed that Holland was scheduled to undergo the surgery on October 2, and that he would likely miss most, if not all, of the 2016 season. With the Royals finishing the season 95–67, the team won the
2015 World Series
The 2015 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2015 season. The 111th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion New York Mets and the American Leag ...
against 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 ...
, their first title in 30 years.
After the 2015 season, Holland was granted free agency. Holland missed the entire 2016 season as he continued to recover from Tommy John surgery.
Colorado Rockies
On January 26, 2017, Holland signed a one-year contract with the
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
. On April 3, he earned his first save since September 17, 2015, defeating the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
on his Rockies debut and Opening Day. Holland won the National League Reliever of the Month Award for April.
On Mother's Day, Holland broke the Rockies franchise record of converting 16 consecutive saves to start a season, formerly held by
José Jiménez, which he had set in
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
. Holland won his second consecutive NL Reliever of the Month Award for the month of May, going for 20-for-20 in save opportunities, a 1.31 ERA and 0.82 WHIP through May.
[ He was selected to his third ]All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
, played at Marlins Park
LoanDepot Park is a retractable roof stadium located in Miami, Florida. It is the home of Major League Baseball's Miami Marlins. It is located on on the site of the former Miami Orange Bowl in Little Havana about west of Downtown Miami. Const ...
in Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
. At that point, he saved an MLB-best 28 of 29 chances with a 1.62 ERA and opponents batted .162/.264/.259. He slumped in August, allowing 14 earned runs in innings.
At the season's end, Holland had tied the Rockies franchise record for saves in one season while tying for the National League lead with 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 ...
' Kenley Jansen
Kenley Geronimo Jansen (born September 30, 1987) is a Curaçaoan professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves.
Signed by the ...
. Holland's ERA was 3.61, and he qualified for enough incentives to increase his salary from the base $9 million to $15 million. Having a player option for 2018, he chose not to exercise it, making him a free agent. He won the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award.
St. Louis Cardinals
Holland signed a one-year, $14 million, contract with the St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
on March 31, 2018. The Cardinals assigned him to the Palm Beach Cardinals
The Palm Beach Cardinals are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They are located in the town of Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida, and play their home games at Roge ...
of the Class A-Advanced 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 ...
to ensure his conditioning before promoting him to the major leagues.[ In his major league debut with the club versus the ]Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
on April 10, he appeared in the tenth inning and walked four batters, including walking a run to Orlando Arcia
Orlando Jesús Arcia (born August 4, 1994) is a Venezuelan professional baseball shortstop for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Milwaukee Brewers signed Arcia as an international free agent in 2010. He made his MLB debut in ...
, which led to a 5−4 loss. On May 26, 2018, after putting up a 9.45 ERA for the 2018 season, the Cardinals put Holland on the 10-day disabled list with a hip impingement.
After compiling a 7.92 ERA and a 2.24 WHIP in 25 relief innings pitched, Holland 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 ...
on July 27. He was released on August 1, 2018.
Washington Nationals
On August 7, 2018, he signed a contract with the Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
. He greatly improved from his time in St. Louis, pitching 21 innings with 25 strikeouts, 10 walks, and a 0.84 ERA.
Arizona Diamondbacks
On January 31, 2019, Holland signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
. The deal also includes an additional $3.5 million in incentive bonuses.
Initially, Holland performed well for the Diamondbacks as their closer, posting a 1.37 ERA in his first 20 games. His season soon unraveled; in his next 20 games, he posted an 8.44 ERA, and blew several save opportunities. Memorably, on July 2, Holland entered in the bottom of the ninth at Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium is a baseball stadium in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers. Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a cost of ( ...
with the Diamondbacks holding a 4–3 lead. He successfully recorded two outs, but then proceeded to walk four Dodgers in a row, tying the game. With the bases still loaded, Holland was replaced on the mound by T. J. McFarland
Timothy John McFarland (born June 8, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the New York Mets organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Arizona Diamondbacks, Oakland Athletics ...
, who promptly walked Cody Bellinger
Cody James Bellinger (born July 13, 1995) is an American professional baseball center fielder and first baseman for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was selected ...
he faced to lose the game.
On July 26, Holland entered to pitch the bottom of the ninth at Marlins Park
LoanDepot Park is a retractable roof stadium located in Miami, Florida. It is the home of Major League Baseball's Miami Marlins. It is located on on the site of the former Miami Orange Bowl in Little Havana about west of Downtown Miami. Const ...
with a 2–1 Diamondbacks lead. He allowed a leadoff double to Garrett Cooper
Garrett Nicholas Cooper (born December 25, 1990) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the New York Yankees.
Early life and education
Garrett Nicholas Co ...
, walked Neil Walker
Neil Martin Andrew Walker (born September 10, 1985) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates (2009–2015), New York Mets (2016–17), Milwaukee Brewers ( ...
, and gave up a single to Starlin Castro
Starlin DeJesus Castro (born March 24, 1990) is a Dominican professional baseball infielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals. Castro i ...
which loaded the bases with nobody out. Jorge Alfaro
Jorge Mario Alfaro Buelvas (born June 11, 1993) is a Colombian professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. Alfaro signed with the Texas Rangers as a free agent in 2010, and was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2015. He made his ML ...
hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game for the Marlins, and Holland was replaced with Yoshihisa Hirano
is a Japanese composer and arranger. He is best known for composing the scores for anime series, such as ''Death Note'', '' Hunter × Hunter (2011)'', and ''Edens Zero''. He has also made the orchestration for video games, mostly in the Final ...
, who allowed a walk-off sacrifice fly to Harold Ramírez
Harold Andrés Ramírez Lemus (born September 6, 1994) is a Colombian professional baseball outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Miami Marlins and Cleveland Indians.
Career Pitts ...
. Following the blown save, manager Torey Lovullo
Salvatore Anthony "Torey" Lovullo ( ; born July 25, 1965) is an American professional baseball manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB), appointed November 4, 2016.
Lovullo served as the first base coach for the Toron ...
announced Holland would no longer serve as the Diamondbacks' closer. The Diamondbacks eventually designated Holland for assignment on August 7, 2019. He was released on August 10.
Washington Nationals (second stint)
On August 13, 2019, Holland signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
and was assigned to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators
The Harrisburg Senators are a Minor League Baseball team of the Eastern League, and the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, who play their home games at FNB Field on City Island, which opened in 1987 a ...
.
Kansas City Royals (second stint)
Holland signed a minor league deal with the Royals on January 29, 2020. He made the Opening Day roster, and had his contract selected on July 23, 2020. With the 2020 Kansas City Royals, Holland appeared in 28 games, compiling a 3–0 record with 1.91 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 28.1 innings pitched. On December 14, 2020, Holland re-signed with the Royals on a one-year $2.75MM deal.
Texas Rangers
On March 16, 2022, Holland signed a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training with the Texas Rangers. On April 6, it was announced that Holland had made the Rangers’ Opening Day roster.
He was designated for assignment on April 19, 2022. On April 22, Holland elected free agency. Holland's departure from the Rangers came shortly after he accrued ten years of major league service time.
Pitching report
With an overhand delivery, Holland throws a four-seam fastball that is regularly clocked at 95-96 mph, topping out at 100 mph. He pairs his fastball with a slider around 86 mph, and a rare splitter around 85-89 mph.
Personal life
He is the son of Scott and Kim Holland. He has a brother, Chase Holland, and a sister, Ashley Holland Berryhill.
He is married to Lacey. Their first child was born on October 1, 2014. Their second child was born on July 27, 2017.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holland, Greg
Living people
1985 births
Baseball players from North Carolina
Major League Baseball pitchers
American League All-Stars
National League All-Stars
National League saves champions
Kansas City Royals players
Colorado Rockies players
St. Louis Cardinals players
Washington Nationals players
Arizona Diamondbacks players
Texas Rangers players
Western Carolina Catamounts baseball players
Idaho Falls Chukars players
Wilmington Blue Rocks players
Northwest Arkansas Naturals players
Omaha Royals players
Tiburones de La Guaira players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Palm Beach Cardinals players
People from Marion, North Carolina