Manuel Alcides Acosta Molinar (born May 1, 1981) is a

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

nian 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 ...

who is a free agent. He has 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

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) East division. The Braves were founded in Bos ...

and

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 ...

, and for the

Yomiuri Giants The are a Japanese professional baseball team competing in Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League. Based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, they are one of two professional baseball teams based in Tokyo, the other being the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. They ...

Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...

Professional career

New York Yankees

Acosta was signed as an undrafted free agent by head coach Joe Terzi of the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...

on January 6, . He spent five and a half seasons in the Yankees' minor league system before being released on July 24, . Prior to his release, Acosta had gone 0–8 with a 6.40

ERA An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth. Comp ...

in 15 games.

Atlanta Braves

He signed as a minor league free agent with the

on July 29, 2003. He fared slightly better with Atlanta's high-A team, the

Myrtle Beach Pelicans The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a Minor League Baseball team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the Single-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. The Pelicans compete in the Carolina League. Home games are played at TicketReturn.com Field, which open ...

, recording a 6.39 ERA and winning two games. In the minors, he took home 8 championships under coach Allan Bailey. In , Acosta began the season with the rookie-level

Gulf Coast Braves The Florida Complex League Braves are the Rookie-level affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Braves. The team plays at CoolTod ...

. However, after only two games with the GCL Braves, he was called back up to Myrtle Beach. He started the next reason with the Rookie-level

Danville Braves The Danville Braves were a Minor League Baseball team in Danville, Virginia. They were an Advanced Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League and were a farm team of the Atlanta Braves. The Braves have played home games at American Legion Post 3 ...

. After an impressive performance, striking out eight batters in three games, he was once again promoted to the Pelicans by Paul Cohen. He split the season between the double-A

Mississippi Braves The Mississippi Braves, or M-Braves as they are referred to locally, are a Minor League Baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, a suburb of Jackson. The team is the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and plays in the Southern League. ...

and the triple-A Richmond Braves. Manny Acosta2

Acosta pitched for

in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. He had an 0–1 record during the event. On October 12, 2006, the Braves purchased Acosta's contract and added him to their 40-man roster. On August 10, , Acosta was called up to the big leagues after

Octavio Dotel Octavio Eduardo Dotel Diaz (born November 25, 1973) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. Dotel played for 13 major league teams, the second most teams played for by any player in the history of Major League Baseball (MLB), setti ...

hit the DL. He made his big league debut on August 12 pitching a scoreless inning of relief against the Philadelphia Phillies. He earned his first major league victory on September 23, against the Milwaukee Brewers. He finished the season 1–1 with a 2.28 ERA. Acosta entered the 2008 season as a middle relief pitcher. But after

Rafael Soriano Rafael Soriano (born December 19, 1979) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, and Chicago ...

and Peter Moylan were quickly placed on the DL, Acosta found himself in the closer role where he has struggled. He recorded his first major league save on April 19 against 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 ...

New York Mets

On March 30, 2010, the

claimed Acosta off waivers from the Braves. The Mets purchased his contract on June 3, 2011, as

Michael O'Connor Michael O'Connor may refer to: Politicians * Michael O'Connor (Australian politician) (1865–1940), Australian politician * Michael O'Connor (Wisconsin politician) (1856–1925), Wisconsin State Assemblyman * Michael J. O'Connor (politici ...

was sent down. On May 29, 2012, Acosta 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 ...

. His ERA for the 2012 season with the Mets was 11.86, with six home runs given up in 22 innings pitched. The Mets re-added him to the 40-man roster on July 24.

Yomiuri Giants

For the 2013 season, Acosta signed with the

to a 1-year $1.65m deal.

Charros de Jalisco

For the 2014-2015 season, Acosta pitched for the

Charros de Jalisco The Charros de Jalisco ( en, Jalisco Horsemen) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican Pacific League based in Zapopan, Jalisco. Their home ballpark is Estadio Panamericano, and has a capacity of 16,500 people. Their initial season was 2 ...

in the

Mexican Pacific League The Mexican Pacific League (), known as Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico for sponsorship reasons or simply LMP for its acronym in Spanish, is a professional baseball winter league based in Northern Mexico. The ten-team regular season schedule ru ...

, a winter league.

Diablos Rojos del Mexico

On March 29, 2014, Acosta signed with the

Diablos Rojos del México The Diablos Rojos del Mexico (English: Mexico Red Devils) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Mexico City, Mexico. The team was founded in 1940 by Salvador Lutteroth and Ernesto Carmona. The Diablos Rojos play their hom ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...

. He was released on September 23, 2016.

Sultanes de Monterrey

On February 20, 2018, Acosta signed with the Sultanes de Monterrey of the

Mexican Baseball League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five t ...

. He was released on August 10, 2018.

Second stint with Diablos

On August 16, 2018, Acosta signed with the

of the

. He became a free agent following the season.

Bravos de León

On March 12, 2019, Acosta signed with the

Bravos de León The Bravos de León (English: León Braves) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. History Cachorros de León (1979–80) Mexican League baseball in León began in 1979 when the Alijador ...

of the

. Acosta did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Mexican League season because of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

. He was released on March 9, 2021.

Pitching style

Acosta throws three pitches: a

four-seam fastball A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family of pitches and is usually the hardest (i.e., fastest) ball thrown by a pitcher. It is c ...

, his primary pitch, at 92–96 mph; a

slider Slider or Sliders may refer to: Arts * K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise * '' The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex * ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy television series * ...

(79–82); and a

changeup A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball. The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...

(84–88), a pitch used almost exclusively against left-handed hitters. Acosta's delivery twists his body toward first base, giving him a release point almost directly "over the top."

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Acosta, Manny 1981 births Living people Atlanta Braves players Battle Creek Yankees players Bravos de León players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Cardenales de Lara players Panamanian expatriate baseball players in Venezuela Danville Braves players Diablos Rojos del México players Greensboro Bats players Gulf Coast Yankees players Gwinnett Braves players Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball players from Panama Mexican League baseball pitchers Mississippi Braves players Myrtle Beach Pelicans players Naranjeros de Hermosillo players New York Mets players Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers Panamanian expatriate baseball players in Japan Panamanian expatriate baseball players in Mexico Panamanian expatriate baseball players in the United States Sportspeople from Colón, Panama Richmond Braves players Staten Island Yankees players Sultanes de Monterrey players Tampa Yankees players Yaquis de Obregón players Yomiuri Giants players 2006 World Baseball Classic players