Fernando Salas, Relief Pitcher

Date of Birth: 5/30/1985
Birthplace: Sonora, Mexico

Fernando Salas, relief pitcher, played professional baseball in the Mexican League from 2005 through 2007. He was acquired by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2007 and he played in their minor league system from 2007 through half of 2010.

Salas pitched in 27 games with the Cardinals in 2010. He finished with a 3.52 ERA in 30.2 innings. He had his best season in 2011, when he was the Cardinals' closer. In 68 games, he pitched a career high 75.0 innings and he had 24 saves, a career high 75 strikeouts (to 21 walks), and a career low ERA of 2.28. The following year, he had a 4.30 ERA in 58.2 innings in 65 games. In 2013, he split his time between the Cardinals and the minor leagues, pitching 28.0 innings in 27 games with St. Louis and 23.2 innings in 22 games in the minors.

The Cardinals traded Salas to the Los Angeles Angels on November 22, 2013. In 57 games with the Angels in 2014, he had a 3.38 ERA and 61 strikeouts to 14 walks in 58.2 innings. He pitched in 72 games in 2015, and he finished with a 4.24 ERA and 74 strikeouts to 12 walks in 63.2 innings.

Salas was traded to the New York Mets on August 31, 2016. He finished the 2016 season with a 3.91 ERA, 3 wins to 7 losses, 6 saves, and 64 strikeouts to 19 walks in 58 games with the Angels and 17 games with the Mets. He didn't pitch in the Wild Card game.

Salas signed a new one-year, $3 million contract with the Mets on February 15, 2017. He was released by the Mets on August 15, 2017. Four days later, he returned to the Angels on a new contract. He finished the 2017 season with 2 wins and 2 losses, 56 strikeouts to 22 walks, and a 5.22 ERA in 48 games with the Mets and 13 games with the Angels.

Salas became a free agent on November 2, 2017. He signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks on January 20, 2018. He played in 41 games with the Diamondbacks before being released on July 9, 2018. In 40.0 innings, he had 4 wins and 4 losses, 30 strikeouts to 13 walks, and a 4.50 ERA.

Salas signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves on July 16, 2018. After playing in just the minors for the Braves, he elected free agency on August 11th.

Salas signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies on June 13, 2019. He spent most of the 2019 season on the DL, in the minors, and in the Mexican League (before signing with the Phillies). He pitched just 2.2 innings in 3 games with the Phillies.

Salas became a free agent on September 30, 2019. He played in the Mexican Pacific Winter League and the Caribbean Series in 2020.

Salas played in the Mexican League and the Mexican Pacific Winter League in 2021.

Career pitching statistics for Salas through 2019 include:

• 496 games played
• 489.2 innings pitched
• 25-28 win-loss record
• 30 saves
• 474 strikeouts to 149 walks
• 3.91 ERA

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Fernando Salas
ESPN - Fernando Salas