| Caleb Ferguson | |
| Team: | Houston Astros |
| Number: | 64 |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Birth Date: | 2 July 1996 |
| Birth Place: | Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Left |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | June 6 |
| Debutyear: | 2018 |
| Debutteam: | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Statyear: | August 11, 2024 |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 19–13 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 3.71 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 293 |
| Teams: |
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Caleb Paul Ferguson (born July 2, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.
Ferguson attended West Jefferson High School in West Jefferson, Ohio. As a senior in 2014, he underwent Tommy John surgery. Despite the injury, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 38th round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft.[1] He signed with the Dodgers, forgoing his commitment to play college baseball at West Virginia University.[2]
Ferguson made his professional debut in 2015, with the Arizona League Dodgers and spent the whole season there, pitching to a 0–3 record and 8.59 ERA in innings.[3] In 2016, he played for the Arizona League Dodgers, Ogden Raptors and Great Lakes Loons, compiling a 3–4 record and 2.31 ERA in 14 games (12 starts).[3] He pitched 2017 with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes[4] where he was 9–4 with a 2.87 ERA in 25 games (24 starts).[5] Ferguson started 2018 with the Tulsa Drillers and was promoted to the Oklahoma City Dodgers during the season.[6]
The Dodgers promoted Ferguson to the major leagues to make his debut as the starting pitcher against the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 6, 2018.[7] He hit the first batter he faced and wound up allowing four runs on three hits with three walks, three strikeouts and two hit batters in only 1 innings.[8] He picked up his first career MLB win on June 23 against the New York Mets with four scoreless innings out of the bullpen.[9] Ferguson recorded his first career save on July 2, 2018, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, pitching three scoreless innings to end a 17-1 blowout.[10]
Ferguson became a key member of the Dodgers' bullpen in the second half of the season. He had one of the best ERAs of any relievers, and had the highest percentage of pitches in the strike zone of any Dodger reliever.[11] He was 7–2 with a 3.49 ERA in 29 games (three starts). He was effective in the playoffs, allowing no hits or runs in three innings over six appearances, but was left off the World Series roster.[12] In 2019, he pitched in 46 games for the Dodgers with a 1–2 record and 4.84 ERA, while making two starts.[12]
During the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Ferguson appeared in 21 games and was 2–1 with a 2.89 ERA.[12] In mid-September, he suffered damage to his ulnar collateral ligament and underwent Tommy John surgery, for the second time in his life.[13] On February 19, 2021, he was placed on the 60-day injured list as he continued to recover from Tommy John surgery.[14]
Ferguson rejoined the major league roster in the 2022 season, where he pitched in 37 games and allowed seven runs in innings for a 1.82 ERA.[12] On January 13, 2023, he agreed to a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Dodgers, avoiding salary arbitration[15] and he pitched in 68 games (including seven starts as an opener) with a 7–4 record and 3.43 ERA during the 2023 season.[12] He increased his salary to $2.4 million for 2024 in his third time in salary arbitration.[16]
On February 5, 2024, the Dodgers traded Ferguson to the New York Yankees in exchange for Matt Gage and Christian Zazueta.[17] In 42 appearances for the Yankees, Ferguson compiled a 5.13 ERA with 41 strikeouts across innings of work.
On July 30, 2024, the Yankees traded Ferguson to the Houston Astros in exchange for pitcher Kelly Austin and cash considerations.[18]